Apparatus and method for ionic liquid electroplating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017002478-A1
Application number	US-201615265693-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 14, 2016
Priority date	Oct 14, 2013
Publication date	Jan 5, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electroplating apparatus includes a container containing plural portions and an ionic liquid plating solution that is capable of flowing therebetween. The plural portions include at least a first portion containing a counter electrode that includes coating donor material and a second portion that includes a workpiece. A porous scrubber separating the first and second portions has a plurality of metallic outer surfaces in contact with the ionic liquid plating solution. Coating, repair, and regeneration methods using an ionic liquid plating solution are also described.

First claim

1 - 11 . (canceled)

12 . A method for coating at least a first surface of a workpiece with a metallic coating, the method comprising:
electrolytically etching a first portion of the workpiece in an ionic liquid plating solution, the etching step comprising subjecting the workpiece to an anodic potential and subjecting a counter electrode to a cathodic potential to remove at least a portion of a displacement layer, thereby (i) accumulating ionic byproducts in the ionic liquid plating solution and (ii) exposing and activating the first surface; electrodepositing the metallic coating onto the exposed and activated portion of the first surface without removing the workpiece from the ionic liquid plating solution, the electrodepositing step comprising subjecting the counter electrode to an anodic potential and subjecting the workpiece to a cathodic potential to deposit coating donor material from the counter electrode onto the surface to be coated; and during at least one of the etching step and the electrodepositing step, fluidly communicating a portion of the ionic liquid plating solution through a porous scrubber disposed in the ionic liquid solution between the workpiece and the counter electrode, the scrubber having a plurality of metallic outer surfaces in contact with the ionic liquid plating solution to capture at least some of the accumulated ionic byproducts from the ionic liquid plating solution. wherein a portion of the ionic byproducts adhere to the metallic outer surfaces of the scrubber during at least the etching mode, thereby regenerating the ionic liquid plating solution in situ by removing at least a portion of the ionic byproducts therefrom.

13 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the pretreating step comprises:
one or more of grit blasting, acid etching, desmutting, rinsing, and drying.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the workpiece comprises a metallic component substrate selected from the group consisting of: aluminum, magnesium, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, iron, and alloys thereof.

15 . (canceled)

16 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
pretreating a first portion of the workpiece that includes the first surface; prior to the electrolytically etching step, depositing the displacement layer onto at least the first portion of the workpiece.

17 . (canceled)

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the displacement layer comprises a metal selected from a group consisting of: zinc, tin, copper, zirconium, cerium, and alloys thereof.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the depositing step comprises:
an immersion process including a zincating process.

20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the metallic coating comprises a substantially pure metal selected from the group consisting of: aluminum and magnesium.

21 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the metallic component substrate comprises an aluminum alloy selected from the group consisting of: AA 6061 alloy, AA 7075 alloy, and AA 2024 alloy.

22 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the workpiece comprises a turbine engine component.

23 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the ionic liquid plating solution comprises an ionic liquid selected from: 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [EMIM][Cl]—AlCl 3 , 1-butyl-3-methylimidizolium chloride [BMIM][Cl]—AlCl 3 , and combinations thereof.

24 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
electrically biasing the porous scrubber at least during the etching step.

25 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
electrically biasing the porous scrubber at least during the electroplating step.

26 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
operating at least one agitator adapted to circulate the ionic liquid plating solution through the porous scrubber.

27 . The method of claim 12 , wherein a configuration of the porous scrubber is selected from a group consisting of: a mesh, foam, a honeycomb, a powder bed, and a fluidized bed, and combinations thereof.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Chen Lei

Classifications

• C25F3/04

  of light metals · CPC title

• C25D3/665

  from ionic liquids · CPC title

• C25D5/44

  Aluminium · CPC title

• C25F3/08

  of refractory metals · CPC title

• C25D5/36

  of iron or steel · CPC title