Lubricant carrier salt for metal forming

Abstract

Disclosed is a lubricant carrier salt for facilitating the cold forming of a workpiece of iron or steel, based on boric acid and/or alkali borate. The salt has an additional content of aliphatic di- or tricarboxylic acid, which either is unsubstituted or substituted by at least one hydroxyl group, and/or of alkali salts thereof, the weight ratio of boric acid/alkali borate to the acid is (5 to 15):1. Especially appropriate carboxylic acids are malonic acid, maleic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid and/or citric acid. Inorganic or organic thickening agents, such as bentonite and/or polysaccharide, aluminate and/or silicate, dispersants, lubricants and/or antioxidants as well as titanium salt can be contained as additional components in the lubricant carrier salt of the invention. Also disclosed is a method for facilitating the cold working of a workpiece of iron or steel, in which the lubricant carrier salt is applied to the workpiece, provided if desired with a phosphate coating, out of an aqueous solution or dispersion with a concentration of 5 to 30 wt-% and with a temperature of 80 to 100.degree. C. by the immersion or pass-through method.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.