Alternative Method of Surface Activation of High Strength Steels for Electroplating

During the overhaul process of aircraft and landing gear at Hill AFB, various high strength (HSS) aircraft components must have surface plated coatings periodically replaced. Some of those coatings include chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), and low hydrogen embrittlement (LHE ZnNi). To achieve acceptable adhesion properties from the plated coatings, the HSS surface must be activated and all corrosion/contamination must be removed by blasting the components with 120-grit aluminum oxide. Additionally, grit blasting, if not done properly, can be abusive to HSS landing gear/aircraft components and contaminated grit can cause galvanic corrosion. After which, some plating process require that 300M HSS components, which has a high silica content, have additional activation in an ammonium bifluoride H2SO4/NH4HF2 bath. Phase I investigation showed successful surface activation using various surface activation technologies. The two most promising technologies was an aqueous cleaning using ultrasonics and MaxPro solution and another was using lasers. Consequently, during this SBIR Phase II project, ES3 proposes to complete the research necessary to demonstrate the selected technologies of ultrasonic/MaxPro and lasers to replace the current surface activation process as an alternative surface activation technology that is be safer for plating personnel and less abusive to landing gear/aircraft components.