Stripping NiCr-AG-NiCr Coating
Q. To strip NiCr-Ag-NiCr coating, I was preparing a solution @4% of Cerium Ammonium Nitrate (C.A.N.)and I added Citrajet @1% to be used as a wetting agent (surface inclined). The addition of Citrajet neutralized completely the effect of the C.A.N; which did not attack the NiCr layers. Can you give me some explanation and which Alconox product I have to use as wetting agent.
A. CAN is a very strong oxidizing agent. Organic functional groups with double bonds, alcohols, benzene rings and ethers are likely to be oxidized by CAN, thereby “neutralizing,” or depleting it, thereby rendering it less effective for stripping coatings. Most wetting agents have organic functional groups that will be oxidized by CAN, including Citrajet.
Cleaning Glassware Exposed to Sea Water
Q. What is the proper way to clean lab glassware that has been exposed to sea water?
A. Sea water contains a large and variable quantity of salts, biological and organic residues. Lab glassware needs to be free of any of these residues to avoid interference in research involving sea water. Sea water would not particularly present challenges beyond the normal array of residues that lab glassware sees in the wide variety of types of lab glassware that Alconox, Inc. laboratory detergents are used to clean. A standard cleaning protocol will work fine.
Cleaning Lidocaine and Dextrose
Q. What Alconox brand cleaner would be best for cleaning Lidocaine and Dextrose?
A. Lidocaine and Dextrose are water soluble 4100 mg/L, pKa 8.01.
Electronics Cleaning – Kovar
Q. What is Kovar? What cleaner would be recommended to clean Kovar?
A. Kovar is made up of 29% nickel, 17% cobalt, .2% silicon, .3% manganese and 53.5% iron. Kovar is known for its low coefficient of thermal expansion. Kovar end uses are usually glass sealing in the electronics industry.
Removing Skin Oils from Materials
Q. Need a suitable detergent for cleaning skin oils from assorted materials; aluminum both anodized and bare, ULTEM, Ceramics, polyprolene, nylon and others. I currently run 160F wash temp and 100F DI rinse water. We are currently using Brulin 815GD detergent. We need to minimize process time. Do you supply any possible replacements? I am afraid I might be etching my aluminum parts.
A. The best detergent for a mix of aluminum and nylon is a mild acid detergent such as Citranox. This will not etch aluminum. Be careful not to mix metals in the same tank with aluminum to avoid galvanic reactions that deposit oxides on the aluminum. Typically Citranox would be used a ½ to 1/3 the concentration of Brulin 815GD.