TEKNOBRITE AZ-846 PROCESS

A HIGH PERFORMANCE CHLORIDE ZINC PROCESS

Teknobrite AZ-846 is a unique process which can be HIGH CURRENT DENSITY REGIONS
for both vat and barrel effectively. Despite of its outstanding performance the process is very
economical in use requiring very little in plant control.

SALIENT FEATURES :

1. A unique process suited for wide current density range.

2. Addition agents do not form any determinental decomposition products.
3. Very economical operating cost in either rack or barrel plating installations.
4. Versatile addition agents that perform well in any chloride electrolyte.
5. Additives are free of complexing or chelating agents that can interfere with waste treatment.
6. Extremely bright low current density deposits.
7. Simplified iron control of operating solution.
8. Improved adhesion for all the passivations viz., yellow, olive and black.

SOLUTION COMPOSITION & OPERATING RANGE

CONSTITUENTS CONCENTRATION

ZINC METAL 23 to 38 g/l

TOTAL CHLORIDE 100 to 130 g/l
BORIC ACID 25 to 30 g/l
TEKNOBRITE AZ-846 M 30-40 ml/l
TEKNOBRITE AZ846 R 0.4-1.0 ml/l
ANODE CURRENT DENSITY 1-3.0 A/DM2
CATHODE CURRENT DENSITY 0.1-5.0 A/DM2
VOLTAGE 4 - 9 V(BARREL)
1 – 4 (RACK)
pH [ELECTROMETRIC] 4.6 to 5.0
FILTRATION Continuous
AGITATION Air agitation/solution agitation
ANODES Pure Zinc [99.99%] with spun dynel or
polypropylene bags

BATH MAKE-UP
REQUIREMENTS FOR 100 LIT OF SOLUTION
TEKNOBRITE AZ-846 A 10 liters
TEKNOBRITE AZ-846 B 22.5 Kgs
TEKNOBRITE AZ-846 M 4.0 liters
TEKNOBRITE AZ-846 R 40-100 ml
WATER TO MAKE 100 liters

A new bath can be made as follows :

1. Clean and leach the plating tank with 1-2 % HYDRO CHLORIC ACID solution for a min. of
24 hrs.
2. Fill the plating tank to approximately 50% of its final volume with warm water [50-600 C]
3. Add the calculated amount of TEKNOBRITE AZ – 846 B and stir till it gets dissolved.
4. Add the calculated amount of TEKNOBRITE AZ-846 A with continuous stirring.
5. Adjust the pH in the suggested range. Use 25% Technical grade hydrochloric acid to lower
the pH and potassium hydroxide to rise the pH.
6. Add calculated amount of TEKNOBRITE AZ 846 M and TEKNOBRITE AZ-846 R with
constant stirring.
7. Add sufficient water to bring solution to final operating volume. The solution is ready for
plating.

OPERATIONAL FEATURES :

ZINC METAL :

The effect of zinc metal concentration is very prominent in the process. For barrel plating lower
metal concentration helps to reduce the out loss and treatment cost where as for vat plating higher
metal concentration is recommended since the drag out loss is minimum.

CHLORIDE – ION :

The function of chloride is to provide the proper conductivity to the solution and to assist in
anode dissolution.

BORIC ACID :

Boric acid is added to the solution to minimize the pH fluctuations. A low concentration reduces
the desired buffering effect whereas high concentration gives rise to rough deposit due to the
formation of insoluble zinc borate in the solution.

OPERATING TEMPERATURE :

The allowable temperature range is 180 C to 350 C. The higher temperature results in increase of
addition agents particularly more amount of TEKNOBRITE 846 R is required to achieve same
amount of low current density brightness. At lower temp. plating efficiency decreases which
results in burning at high c.d region.

BATH pH :

Optimum pH to be maintained for the process is 5.0. Since it is, a natural tendency for the pH to
raise during normal operation the pH should be maintained by technical grade HCI [do not use
HCI which is green in color] and potassium hydroxide. Also it is advisable to maintain pH at
around 4.8 to 5.0 during shut down since pH above 5.0 can lead to anode polarization.

CURRENT DENSITY :

It is important to maintain both the anode and cathode current densities within their proper
operating ranges in order to insure high quality trouble free operation. Too high cathode current
density will cause burning and granular deposits particularly in higher current density regions.
Too low a cathode current density reduces plating speed and can cause the zinc metal
concentration to rise. Similarly too high anode current density will cause the concentration of zinc
metal to rise during operation giving rise to a need for higher addition agent concentration.

RINSING :

Rinsing after plating must be through and the last rinse tank should be preferably with running
water. After removal from the plating bath allow the solution to drain from the parts above the
plating rack to reduce the drag out losses and hence save the operation cost.

REPLENISHMENT :

The periodic analysis for zinc metal, total chloride, and Boric acid should be done. So as to favor
the easy operation, Make required additions of TEKNOBRITE AZ-846 A and 846-B and
frequently check the pH, if necessary.
The various components that compromise the addition agent system are lost by both electrolysis
and drag-out.

Addition of Teknobrite AZ 846 R should be done by conducting Hull cell test and visual
observations of the work. There may be a tendency to add an excessive amount of Teknobrite AZ
846 to the bath based upon plating cell test made without agitation, since part of the brilliance of
the Teknobrite 846 depends on agitation. However as a rough guide consumption of Teknobrite
AZ 846 R should range from 150-300 ml for a KAH and that of Teknobrite AZ 846 M should
range from 25% to 50% of Teknobrite 846R. Drag out of Teknobrite 846 M is greater is Barrel
plating as compared to vat plating hence Barrel plating requires a higher ratio of M to R for
replenishment.

RACKS :

Plating racks must be coated with PVC or plastisol so as to avoid the contamination of the bath.

TANKS :
Plating tanks of steel lined with PVC polypropylene are recommended. [Rubber lined and fibre
glass tanks are not recommended] if change is to be made from a cyanide zinc bath to chloride
zinc bath please contact Artek’s Technical staff for proper leaching procedure.
The tank must be leaching for minimum of 24 hrs. as follows.
1. Prepare a leaching solution. Consisting of 5 to 10% by vol. Technical grade hydrochloric acid
and rest with water.
2. Add 1 ml of Teknobrite AZ 846 M for 1 lit. of leaching solution.
3. Fill the plating tank to the top of the tank and allow it to stand for a minimum of 24 hrs.
4. Drain the tank, and rinse thoroughly with water .

HEATING & COOLING EQUIPMENT

Despite the height cathode efficiency of Teknobrite AZ 846 process a certain amount of heat will
be generated during plating. If this heat is not dissipated the operating temp. will rise and
performance will be less than optimum. Teflon cooling coils can be used for cooling purpose.

In cold weather areas where bath temp. can drop below 180 C or while giving oxidation carbon
treatment where the plating solution should be heated to 550 C Quartz or titanium heaters can be
used.
POWER SOURCE

A 12 power source is required for barrel plating, and 6v power source is required for rack plating
Rectifiers with low ripple [max 5%] should be used.

WASTE TREATMENT :

The chloride zinc process solution contains zinc metal and chlorides and is acidic in nature,
therefore it should be neutralized to a pH value of 7.0 to 7.5 prior to disposal in to a sewage
system.

SAFE HANDLING :

Avoid contact of plating solution with skin or eyes, wear proper protective clothing and safety
goggles. In the event of contact flush affected area immediately with fresh running water. If
solution is splashed in the eyes flesh with fresh running water for at least 15 min. and contact
physician if necessary.

ANALYSIS

For Zinc metal

Apparatus Needed

2ml pipette
25 ml graduated cylinder
50 ml burette
250 ml Erlenmeyer flask

Reagents Needed

I. Xylenol orange indicator

It can be prepared by mixing 0.1 gms. Xylenol orange tetrasodium salt with 100 gms.
of AR grade Sodium chloride.
II. 0.0575M E.D.T.A solution
Take 21.4gms of E.D.T.A sodium salt and 6 gms. of NaOH and dissolve it in
sufficient deionized or distilled water and make it one liter.
III. Buffer solution
Dissolve 90 gms of anhydrous sodium acetate in about 500ml of distilled water .
Add 15ml of concentrated acetic acid and dilute it to a liter with distilled water.

Procedure :

[a] Pipette out 2ml of sample into 250 ml of Erlenmeyer flask. Add 50ml of D.M water
[b] Add a pinch of Xylenol-orange indicator, mix well to produce a violet color.
[c] Add sufficient amount of buffer solution [20 to 30 ml] maintain the pH about 5.5
[d] Titrate immediately against 0.0575 m EDTA solution to a yellow or golden yellow End
point.

Calculation
Burette reading x 1.9 = gms per liter Zinc metal.

ANALYSIS
For Boric Acid
Apparatus Needed :

2 ml pipette
50 ml Burette
100 ml Beaker, glass rod

Reagents Needed

1. 0.1 N sodium hydroxide – Dissolve 4.0 gms. of AR grade sodium hydroxide in sufficient
amount of D.I (distilled water) make it to 1 liter. Standardize against a sulphuric acid of
known normality.
2. Bromo cresol purple indicator – Dissolve 0.1 gms of Bromocresol purple solid dye in 18 ml
of 0.01 N sodium hydroxide and dilute it to 250 ml with d.i or distilled water
3. Mannitol-AR grade

Procedure

i) Pipette a 2 ml sample of the plating bath into a 100 ml beaker

ii) Add several drops of Bromo cresol purple and titrate it against 0.1 N NaOH with
continuous stirring. End point is purple

Calculation

Burette reading x 3.08 = gms per litre boric acid.

ANALYSIS
For Total Chloride

Apparatus Needed :

1 ml Pipette,
25 ml graduated cylinder,
50 ml Burette,
250 ml Erlenmeyer Flask.

Reagents Needed

i] Buffer solution :- Use buffer solution prepared as written in zinc analysis

ii] Chromate solution :-
Dissolve 20 gms of chromate salt (either sodium or potassium) in 1 liter distilled water.
iii] 0.153 N Silver Nitrate Solution [AgNO3]
Dissolve 25.95 gms. of Silver Nitrate in a sufficient amt. of d.i or distilled water to make
1 liter of solution. Store in brown glass bottle.
Procedure

1] Pipette 1 ml sample solution into a conical flask. Add 50 ml of d.i or d.w water.
2] Add 25 ml of buffer solution.
3] Titrate it against silver Nitrate solution till Permanent reddish brown ppt. Is formed.

Calculation

Buffer Reading x 5.4 = gms per liter total Chloride.

NOTE :

The data set forth in this bulletin is believed by ARTEK SURFIN CHEMICALS LTD. to be
true, accurate and complete but is not guaranteed. Our sole warranty is as stated in our standard
terms and conditions of sale. We cannot warrant that our customer will achieve the same results
from any bulletin because we do not have control over the condition of use, nor can we assume
any responsibility for our customer’s use of any of our products in a manner which infringes the
patents of third parties.