Methods for electrolytically depositing pretreatment compositions

Abstract

Methods for treating a substrate are disclosed. A method includes contacting a substrate with a pretreatment composition comprising a Group IVB metal and an electropositive metal and passing an electric current between an anode and the substrate serving as a cathode to deposit a coating from the pretreatment composition on the substrate. A method for treating an electrically conductive substrate also includes contacting the electrically conductive substrate with a pretreatment composition comprising a Group IVB metal and an electropositive metal and electrodepositing a coating on the electrically conductive substrate from the pretreatment composition. A method further includes contacting an electrically conductive substrate with a pretreatment composition comprising a Group IVB metal and an electropositive metal; and electrodepositing a coating on the electrically conductive substrate from the pretreatment composition, wherein the coating comprises each of the Group IVB metal and the electropositive metal.

1 . A method for treating a substrate comprising:
 contacting a substrate with a pretreatment composition comprising a Group IVB metal and an electropositive metal; and   passing an electric current between an anode and the substrate serving as a cathode to deposit a coating from the pretreatment composition on the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the Group IVB metal comprises zirconium. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electropositive metal comprises copper. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electropositive metal comprises trivalent chromium. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pretreatment composition further comprises a fluoride ion. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the Group IVB metal is in the range of 4 to 40 times by weight an amount of the electropositive metal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the Group IVB metal comprises zirconium and the electropositive metal comprises copper. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the coating comprises a weight ratio of the Group IVB metal to the electropositive metal greater than 4:1. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electric current comprises a current density of |−1| milliamp per square centimeters (mA/cm 2 ) or less. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the current density comprises a current density of |−0.6| milliamp per square centimeters (mA/cm 2 ) or less. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a steel. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , where the substrate comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a portion of a vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coating has a property that provides corrosion resistance to the substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the corrosion resistance is filiform corrosion resistance. 
     
     
         16 . A substrate treated by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 .- 44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . The substrate of  claim 16 , wherein the substrate is an automotive component. 
     
     
         46 . The substrate of  claim 45 , wherein the automotive component comprises steel. 
     
     
         45 . The substrate of  claim 16 , wherein the substrate comprises a vehicle, a vehicle body, a vehicle frame, a vehicle component or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         46 . The substrate of  claim 45 , wherein the vehicle comprises an aircraft or a body, frame or component thereof. 
     
     
         47 . The substrate of  claim 46 , wherein the substrate comprises aluminum, an aluminum alloy or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         48 . The substrate of  claim 45 , wherein the vehicle comprises a land vehicle or a body, frame or component thereof. 
     
     
         49 . The substrate of  claim 48 , wherein the substrate comprises steel.