Method for stripping a component

Abstract

A method for stripping a component, in particular a gas turbine component, to completely or partially remove a multilayer or sandwich antiwear coating from the surface of the component, the antiwear coating including at least one relatively hard ceramic layer and at least one relatively soft metallic layer is disclosed. According to the present invention, in order to remove the multilayer or sandwich antiwear coating, the component is placed in a bath of an alkaline electrolyte, the component placed in the electrolyte being stripped at a current density of between 1 A/dm 2 and 20 A/dm 2 .

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . A method for stripping a component, in particular a gas turbine component, to completely or partially remove a multilayer or sandwich antiwear coating from the surface of the component, the antiwear coating including at least one relatively hard ceramic layer and at least one relatively soft metallic layer, the method comprising:
 in order to remove the multilayer or sandwich antiwear coating, placing the component in a bath of an alkaline electrolyte; and   stripping the component placed in the electrolyte at a current density of between 1 A/dm2 and 20 A/dm2.   
   
   
       13 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the component placed in the electrolyte is stripped at a current density of between 1 A/dm2 and 5 A/dm2. 
   
   
       14 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the component placed in the electrolyte is stripped anodically. 
   
   
       15 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the component placed in the electrolyte is stripped at room temperature. 
   
   
       16 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the bath contains, in addition to the alkaline electrolyte, a surfactant to reduce surface or interfacial tension. 
   
   
       17 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the surfactant is used in an amount to reduce a surface or interfacial tension to a value between 20 dynes und 50 dynes. 
   
   
       18 . The method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the surfactant is used in an amount to reduce the surface or interfacial tension to a value between 25 dynes und 35 dynes. 
   
   
       19 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the surfactant is a fluorinated surfactant. 
   
   
       20 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the alkaline electrolyte is a sodium hydroxide solution. 
   
   
       21 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the alkaline electrolyte is a potassium hydroxide solution. 
   
   
       22 . The method as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising covering portions of the component that are intended not to be stripped with a wax-containing or wax-like material prior to placing the component in the bath.