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Hydrogen Embrittlement - The AlumiPlateSM aluminum plating process has an inherently low potential to induce hydrogen embrittlement in high strength steels, especially when compared to cadmium plating and other traditionally plated fastener coatings. Hydrogen embrittlement is a serious concern with plating on high strength steel. All aqueous plating processes expose the steel surface to free hydrogen and have the potential to allow it to diffuse into the hardened steel, embrittling it. The amount of hydrogen that the steel is exposed to and the duration of that exposure are two of the process-specific key determinants to the degree of embrittlement. The AlumiPlate process greatly reduces the exposure to free hydrogen - both in amount and duration, especially when compared to cadmium or zinc plating. The AlumiPlate process employs conventional aqueous cleaning, an acid deoxidation with inhibitors to suppress hydrogen evolution, and the plating of a very thin (~ 2 - 5 m) nickel flash layer out of a sulfamate bath at high pH and low current density without visible hydrogen evolution. The AlumiPlate aluminum coating itself is applied in our patented, non-aqueous, aprotic (proton-free) electrolyte where the parts are not exposed to free hydrogen. Therefore, the AlumiPlate process has an inherently low potential to induce hydrogen embrittlement in high strength steels. If desired or required, an optional bake-out step can be performed immediately after coating. We are in the process of carefully monitoring hydrogen embrittlement test results. Further testing is ongoing. |
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