Copper pickling, destruction of surface oxidation present on a metal

Copper pickling involves the removal of surface oxidation on a metal.

At Bama, copper pickling is a routine treatment.

Removal of oxidation

Copper pickling is essential for both industrial and non-industrial uses of this material. Like all metals, copper is subject to phenomena that cause not only aesthetic and functional defects but also rapid aging, necessitating replacements for otherwise avoidable issues.

Bama has equipment specifically designed for copper pickling. Similar to pickling stainless steel or aluminium, copper pickling which would destroy the material and cause obvious aesthetic defects.

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Which agent to choose

The tank contains solutions formed by nitric sulphuric acids and water, which "attack" the surface layer of copper removing all residual oxides.

Another method is the manual one, which consists in the application of a gel, particularly effective in the removal of residual oxides and able to recover even objects visibly deteriorated thanks to its pickling and deoxidizing action.

Thanks to the action of these products and the work of a qualified staff of Bama, it is possible to successfully intervene on oxidation residues even on materials such as copper, to proceed later to other finishing operations, which include, among others, electropolishing.

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This is a fundamental step to avoid the subsequent birth of corrosive manifestations, which inevitably cause the destruction of the material, as well as obvious defects from the aesthetic point of view.

The pickling treatment can be carried out not only before other specific treatments such as passivation and electropolishing, but also to restore the original state of copper elements that have undergone the oxidation process.

About the copper pickling technique, it is the same as the one used for all the other metals or metal alloys. This is why Bama mainly uses the method of immersion in a tank.

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Bama
Products

Pickling agent

A pickling agent is a substance that is used during the pickling process, the purpose of which is to remove residual oxides from the surface of an object.

Deoxidizer

A deoxidizer is a substance with a special deep-cleaning action, specifically for oxide residues.