Aqueous lubricant and surface conditioner for formed metal surfaces
AssigneeHenkel Corporation
InventorsJames P. Bershas, Timm L. Kelly, Gary L. Rochfort
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The coefficient of friction of aluminum can surfaces after alkaline cleaning and drying can be substantially reduced by adding to the alkaline cleaner a mobility enhancing additive, preferably a surface active quaternary ammonium salt with hydroxyethyl substituents on the quaternary nitrogen atoms. A can surface suitable for automatic conveying and high quality lacquer or printing ink adhesion can thereby be obtained, if desired without including any substantial fluoride content in any treatment stage.
Claims20
A process for cleaning and finishing the surfaces of aluminum cans, said process comprising steps of:
- (B) contacting aluminum cans bearing surface contamination selected from the group consisting of can drawing lubricants and aluminum fines with an aqueous alkaline cleaning composition having a pH in the range from about 11.0 to about 12.5 and containing at least 0.05 g/L of a mobility enhancer selected from the group consisting of quaternary ammonium salts and ethoxylated phosphate esters, the alkaline cleaning composition being maintained during the contacting at a cleaning effective temperature and contacting being maintained for a cleaning effective time;
- (C) removing the cans as treated in step (B) from contact with the alkaline cleaning composition and rinsing the surfaces of the cans that have been in contact with the alkaline cleaning composition with an aqueous rinse solution having a pH lower than that of the alkaline cleaning composition;
- (G) removing the cans, subsequent to step (C), from contact with any aqueous liquid and drying the cans to produce cleaned and dried cans;
- and
- (H) conveying the cleaned and dried cans from the end of step (G) via automatic conveying equipment to a location where the cans are lacquered or decorated by printing or both,
- wherein the surfaces of the cleaned and dried cans conveyed in step (H) have a coefficient of surface friction not greater than about 1.0.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.