Claims
- 1. A process for reducing the passive layer on the surface of a metal, the process comprising:
reacting a treatment composition comprising a non-metallic compound with metal ions in the passive layer of a metal, thereby forming an organometallic complex precipitate; and removing the organometallic complex precipitate from the surface of the metal.
- 2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the reacting step is conducted in an aqueous solution comprising a wetting agent.
- 3. The process according to claim 2, wherein the non-metallic compound is a thiuram.
- 4. The process according to claim 3, wherein the non-metallic compound is characterized by the general chemical formula (I),
- 5. The process according to claim 4, wherein the non-metallic compound is selected from the group consisting of tetramethylthiuram monosulfide, bis(dimethyldithiocarbamoyl) disulfide, tetrabenzylthiuram disulfide, tetraethylthiuram disulfide, tetrabutylthiuram disulfide, dipentamethylenethiuram tetrasulfide, and mixtures thereof.
- 6. The process according to claim 3, wherein the treatment composition further comprises an additional non-metallic compound that is a dithiocarbamate.
- 7. The process according to claim 6, wherein the additional non-metallic compound is characterized by the general chemical formula (II),
- 8. The process according to claim 7, wherein the additional non-metallic compound is selected from the group consisting of sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate, sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, sodium dibenzyldithiocarbamate, sodium dibutyldithiocarbamate, and mixtures thereof.
- 9. The process according to claim 2, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Groups IB through VIIB and VIII of the periodic table, including the elements having the atomic numbers of 58-71 and 90-103, aluminum, gallium, indium, thallium, germanium, tin, lead, antimony, bismuth, mixtures thereof and alloys thereof.
- 10. The process according to claim 9, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of silver, scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, gallium, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, cadmium, hafnium, thallium, tungsten, rhenium, osmium, iridium, platinum, gold, mixtures thereof, and alloys thereof.
- 11. A metal obtained from a process for reducing the passive layer on the surface of the metal, the process comprising:
reacting a treatment composition comprising a non-metallic compound with metal ions in the passive layer of a metal, thereby forming an organometallic complex precipitate; and removing the organometallic complex precipitate from the surface of the metal.
- 12. The metal of claim 11, wherein the reacting step is conducted in an aqueous solution comprising a wetting agent.
- 13. The metal of claim 12, wherein the non-metallic compound that is a thiuram.
- 14. The metal of claim 13, wherein the non-metallic compound is characterized by the general chemical formula (I),
- 15. The metal of claim 14, wherein the non-metallic compound is selected from the group consisting of tetramethylthiuram monosulfide, bis(dimethyldithiocarbamoyl) disulfide, tetrabenzylthiuram disulfide, tetraethylthiuram disulfide, tetrabutylthiuram disulfide, dipentamethylenethiuram tetrasulfide, and mixtures thereof.
- 16. The metal of claim 13, wherein the treatment composition further comprises a non-metallic compound that is a dithiocarbamate.
- 17. The metal of claim 16, wherein the additional non-metallic compound is characterized by the general chemical formula (II),
- 18. The metal of claim 17, wherein the additional non-metallic compound is selected from the group consisting of sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate, sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, sodium dibenzyldithiocarbamate, sodium dibutyldithiocarbamate, and mixtures thereof.
- 19. The metal of claim 12, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Groups IB through VIIB and VIII of the periodic table, including the elements having the atomic numbers of 58-71 and 90-103, aluminum, gallium, indium, thallium, germanium, tin, lead, antimony, bismuth, mixtures thereof and alloys thereof.
- 20. The metal of claim 19, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of silver, scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, gallium, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, cadmium, hafnium, thallium, tungsten, rhenium, osmium, iridium, platinum, gold, mixtures thereof, and alloys thereof.
- 21. A process for reducing the passive layer on the surface of a metal in situ, the process comprising:
reacting, in an aqueous solution having a wetting agent, a treatment composition comprising a non-metallic compound with metal ions in the passive layer of a metal, thereby forming an organometallic complex precipitate; and removing the organometallic complex precipitate from the surface of the metal.
- 22. The process according to claim 21, wherein the aqueous solution is an aqueous process solution.
- 23. The process according to claim 21, wherein the non-metallic compound is a thiuram.
- 24. The process according to claim 23, wherein the non-metallic compound is characterized by the general chemical formula (I),
- 25. The process according to claim 24, wherein the non-metallic compound is selected from the group consisting of tetramethylthiuram monosulfide, bis(dimethyldithiocarbamoyl) disulfide, tetrabenzylthiuram disulfide, tetraethylthiuram disulfide, tetrabutylthiuram disulfide, dipentamethylenethiuram tetrasulfide, and mixtures thereof.
- 26. The process according to claim 21, wherein the treatment composition further comprises an additional non-metallic compound that is a dithiocarbamate.
- 27. The process according to claim 26, wherein the additional non-metallic compound is characterized by the general chemical formula (II),
- 28. The process according to claim 27, wherein the additional non-metallic compound is selected from the group consisting of sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate, sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, sodium dibenzyldithiocarbamate, sodium dibutyldithiocarbamate, and mixtures thereof.
- 29. The process according to claim 21, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of Groups IB through VIIB and VIII of the periodic table, including the elements having the atomic numbers of 58-71 and 90-103, aluminum, gallium, indium, thallium, germanium, tin, lead, antimony, bismuth, mixtures thereof and alloys thereof.
- 30. The process according to claim 29, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of silver, scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, gallium, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, cadmium, hafnium, thallium, tungsten, rhenium, osmium, iridium, platinum, gold, mixtures thereof, and alloys thereof.
- 31. An apparatus for removing the passive layer on the surface of a metal, comprising:
an enclosed shell having a inlet, an outlet, and at least two interior compartments, wherein the inlet, the compartments, and the outlet are fluidly connected; a treatment composition comprising a non-metallic compound in at least one compartment near the inlet; and the metal in at least one compartment located in fluid sequence after the compartment having the treatment composition; wherein the non-metallic compound is capable of reacting with metal ions in the passive layer of the metal to form an organometallic complex precipitate.
- 32. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the non-metallic compound is selected from the group consisting of thiuram, dithiocarbamate, and mixtures thereof; and
wherein the reactive metal is selected from the group consisting of Groups IB through VIIB and VIII of the periodic table, including the elements having the atomic numbers of 58-71 and 90-103, aluminum, gallium, indium, thallium, germanium, tin, lead, antimony, bismuth, mixtures thereof and alloys thereof.
- 33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the non-metallic compound is selected from the group consisting of compounds characterized by the general chemical formula (I),
- 34. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein the non-metallic compound is selected from the group consisting of tetramethylthiuram monosulfide, bis(dimethyldithiocarbamoyl) disulfide, tetrabenzylthiuram disulfide, tetraethylthiuram disulfide, tetrabutylthiuram disulfide, dipentamethylenethiuram tetrasulfide, sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate, sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, sodium dibenzyldithiocarbamate, sodium dibutyldithiocarbamate, and mixtures thereof.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present invention claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Nos. 60/309,836, 60/309,837 and 60/309,854, all filed on Aug. 3, 2001, which are all incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Provisional Applications (3)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60309836 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
|
60309837 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
|
60309854 |
Aug 2001 |
US |