Conversion coating application system including hydrogels and methods of using same

Abstract

A conversion coating applicator includes a first liner, a hydrogel attached to the first liner, and a second liner removably attached to the hydrogel. The hydrogel includes a trivalent chromium conversion coating solution including a trivalent chromium compound, a zirconate compound, and a dye compound. The conversion coating solution is an aqueous solution.

1 . A conversion coating applicator comprising:
 a first liner;   a hydrogel attached to the first liner; and   a second liner removably attached to the hydrogel;   wherein the hydrogel comprises a trivalent chromium conversion coating solution comprising:
 a trivalent chromium compound; 
 a zirconate compound; and 
 a dye compound; 
 wherein the conversion coating solution is an aqueous solution. 
   
     
     
         2 . The conversion coating applicator of  claim 1  wherein the trivalent chromium compound comprises trivalent chromium sulfate. 
     
     
         3 . The conversion coating applicator of  claim 1  the hydrogel comprises an alginate hydrogel. 
     
     
         4 . The conversion coating applicator of  claim 1  the hydrogel comprises a sodium alginate hydrogel. 
     
     
         5 . The conversion coating applicator of  claim 1  wherein the zirconate compound comprises an alkali metal hexafluorozirconate compound. 
     
     
         6 . The conversion coating applicator of  claim 1  comprising approximately 0.2 g/liter to approximately 20 g/liter of the zirconate compound. 
     
     
         7 . The conversion coating applicator of  claim 1  wherein the dye compound comprises a metal complex azo dye. 
     
     
         8 . The conversion coating applicator of  claim 1  wherein the dye compound comprises a chromium complex azo dye. 
     
     
         9 . The conversion coating applicator of  claim 1  wherein the dye compound comprises a metal free azo dye. 
     
     
         10 . The conversion coating applicator of  claim 1  comprising approximately 0.01 wt % to approximately 2.0 wt % of the dye compound. 
     
     
         11 . The conversion coating applicator of  claim 1  comprising a phosphorous compound. 
     
     
         12 . The conversion coating applicator of  claim 1  wherein the trivalent chromium conversion coating satisfies the requirements of MIL-DTL-81706B Class 1A and Class 3 and/or MIL-DTL-5541F Class 1A and Class 3. 
     
     
         13 . The conversion coating applicator of  claim 1  comprising 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, 2-mercaptobenzoxazole, and/or benzotriazole. 
     
     
         14 . The conversion coating applicator of  claim 1  wherein the trivalent chromium conversion coating solution has a pH of approximately 2.5 to approximately 4.5. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising treating a metal substrate with the conversion coating applicator of  claim 1  comprising:
 shaping the conversion coating applicator into a shape that corresponds to a specific shape of the metal substrate, 
 placing the conversion coating applicator on the metal substrate such that the hydrogel contacts the metal substrate. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the metal substrate comprises aluminum, magnesium, and/or zinc. 
     
     
         17 . A conversion coating application system comprising:
 a conversion coating applicator comprising:
 a first liner; 
 a first hydrogel attached to the first liner; and 
 a first cover removably attached to the first hydrogel; 
 wherein the first hydrogel comprises a trivalent chromium conversion coating solution comprising:
 a trivalent chromium compound; 
 a zirconate compound; and 
 a dye compound; 
 wherein the conversion coating solution is an aqueous solution; and 
 
   an activation applicator comprising:
 a second liner; 
 a second hydrogel attached to the second liner; and 
 a second cover removably attached to the second hydrogel; 
 wherein the second hydrogel comprises an activation solution. 
   
     
     
         18 . The conversion coating application system of  claim 17  further comprising a cleaning applicator comprising:
 a third liner; 
 a third hydrogel attached to the third liner; and 
 a third cover removably attached to the third hydrogel; 
 wherein the third hydrogel comprises a cleaning solution. 
 
     
     
         19 . A method comprising treating a metal substrate with the conversion coating application system of  claim 18  comprising placing the conversion coating applicator on the metal substrate such that the first hydrogel contacts the metal substrate. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising:
 placing the cleaning applicator on the metal substrate such that the third hydrogel contacts the metal substrate; and 
 placing the activation applicator on the metal substrate such that the second hydrogel contacts the metal substrate.