Polishing and anti-corrosion treatment method for aluminum alloy wheel

Abstract

The invention provides an aluminum alloy wheel polishing and anti-corrosion treatment method which comprises the following steps: S1, surface cleaning: cleaning the surface of a wheel by adopting an ultrasonic cleaning machine and an environment-friendly decontamination solution; s2, high-energy mechanical polishing, wherein a ceramic particle polishing material and high-energy mechanical polishing equipment are adopted for polishing; s3, cold plasma surface treatment: activating the surface of the aluminum alloy by using a cold plasma technology, and removing an oxide layer; s4, spraying a nano-coating, and forming a uniform protective film by adopting a nano-scale anti-corrosion coating spraying technology; s5, ultraviolet curing is conducted, specifically, ultraviolet radiation is used for conducting rapid curing on the coating; s6, heat treatment and high-pressure cooling are conducted, specifically, after the treated wheel is subjected to heat treatment, rapid cooling is conducted through high-pressure cooling; and S7, the completeness of the coating is checked and corrected. And through the high-energy mechanical polishing and cold plasma surface treatment technology, the surface of the aluminum alloy wheel keeps high glossiness, scratches or abrasion are avoided, and the appearance of the wheel is remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the surface treatment technology of aluminum alloy wheels, in particular to a polishing and anti-corrosion treatment method for aluminum alloy wheels. Background Art

[0002] As one of the key components of modern automobiles, aluminum alloy wheels are widely used in the automotive manufacturing field due to their advantages such as lightweight, high strength, and corrosion resistance. The use of aluminum alloy wheels can not only reduce the overall weight of the vehicle, thereby improving fuel efficiency and vehicle performance, but also enhance the aesthetic appearance of the vehicle. With the continuous development of the automotive industry and the increasing requirements of consumers for vehicle appearance, the surface treatment technology of aluminum alloy wheels has received extensive attention, especially for the improvement of the gloss, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and ultraviolet resistance of the wheels.

[0003] However, despite the above advantages of aluminum alloy wheels, their surface treatment still faces many challenges. The surface of aluminum alloy is easily eroded by the external environment, especially affected by factors such as moisture, salt spray, acid-base gases, and ultraviolet rays in the air, which easily leads to oxidation, corrosion, and fading of the surface of aluminum alloy wheels. In addition, problems such as scratches, wear, and coating peeling on the wheel surface also limit the appearance quality and service life of the wheels.

[0004] Currently, the common surface treatment technologies for aluminum alloy wheels on the market mainly include anodic oxidation, spraying anti-corrosion coatings, mechanical polishing, and chemical plating. These traditional technologies have solved the problems of wheel surface corrosion and insufficient gloss to a certain extent, but there are still the following deficiencies:

[0005] Anodic oxidation treatment: Anodic oxidation is a commonly used surface treatment process that can form an oxide film on the surface of aluminum alloy to improve corrosion resistance and surface hardness. However, the disadvantage of anodic oxidation treatment is that it cannot effectively improve the gloss of aluminum alloy wheels and is prone to surface color fading. Especially under ultraviolet irradiation, the light resistance of the oxide film is poor.

[0006] Spraying anti-corrosion coatings: Spraying coatings can effectively increase the corrosion resistance of aluminum alloy wheels, especially outstanding in resisting external environmental factors such as acid rain and salt spray. However, traditional spraying coatings have deficiencies in adhesion, wear resistance, and ultraviolet resistance. Especially after high temperature or long-term use, the coating may peel off or wear, reducing the protection performance and aesthetic appearance of the wheels.

[0007] Mechanical polishing: Mechanical polishing is a common surface treatment method that can enhance the gloss and appearance of aluminum alloy wheels. It works by rubbing an abrasive against the wheel surface to remove roughness, resulting in a smooth, shiny finish. However, the polishing process can easily produce tiny scratches, and excessive or improper polishing can damage the aluminum alloy surface, reducing its strength and corrosion resistance.

[0008] Chemical plating: Chemical plating deposits a metal or alloy onto the surface of aluminum alloys through a chemical reaction, forming a protective film that enhances corrosion resistance and hardness. While chemical plating has found application in certain areas, it is costly, and the thin coating is susceptible to external forces and can fall off. Its protective effect is not as long-lasting as anodizing and spray coatings.

[0009] In addition to the traditional surface treatment technologies mentioned above, modern surface treatment processes are also beginning to explore emerging technologies, such as cold plasma treatment and nano-coating technology. These emerging technologies have promising application prospects in improving the adhesion, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and UV resistance of aluminum alloy surfaces. However, practical applications still face many technical and cost challenges.

[0010] Therefore, how to innovate in improving the appearance quality and durability of aluminum alloy wheels while overcoming the shortcomings of existing technologies has become a hot topic in current surface treatment research. Improving wheel gloss, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and UV resistance through more efficient, environmentally friendly, and economical means has become a key issue that needs to be addressed in the field of aluminum alloy wheel surface treatment. Summary of the Invention

[0011] In view of the above-mentioned technical deficiencies, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for polishing and anti-corrosion treatment of aluminum alloy wheels to improve the surface gloss, corrosion resistance and wear resistance of aluminum alloy wheels.

[0012] To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0013] A method for polishing and anti-corrosion treatment of aluminum alloy wheels, comprising the following steps:

[0014] S1. Surface cleaning: Use ultrasonic cleaning machine and environmentally friendly decontamination liquid to clean the wheel surface;

[0015] S2, high energy mechanical polishing, using ceramic microparticle polishing materials and high energy mechanical polishing equipment for polishing;

[0016] S3, cold plasma surface treatment, using cold plasma technology to activate the aluminum alloy surface and remove the oxide layer;

[0017] S4. Nano - coating spraying: A uniform protective film is formed by using nano - level anti - corrosion coating spraying technology.

[0018] S5. Ultraviolet curing: The coating is rapidly cured by using ultraviolet radiation.

[0019] S6. Heat treatment and high - pressure cooling: The treated wheels are heat - treated and then rapidly cooled by high - pressure cooling.

[0020] S7. Final inspection and correction: The integrity of the coating is inspected and corrected.

[0021] Preferably, the nano - coating is composed of polyurethane resin, light stabilizer and nano - particles resistant to ultraviolet rays.

[0022] Preferably, the cold plasma surface treatment time is 3 - 5 minutes.

[0023] Preferably, the heat treatment temperature is 150 °C and the treatment time is 10 minutes.

[0024] Preferably, during the ultraviolet curing process, the wavelength of the ultraviolet ray is 200 - 400 nm.

[0025] Preferably, the high - energy mechanical polishing uses a combination of ceramic microparticles with various particle sizes, which can effectively remove small scratches on the aluminum alloy surface and improve the surface glossiness during the polishing process.

[0026] Preferably, the working frequency of the ultrasonic cleaner is 20 - 40 kHz, which improves the cleaning effect and reduces damage to the aluminum alloy surface.

[0027] Preferably, the high - pressure cooling uses a cooling system with a pressure of 8 - 12 MPa to rapidly cool the aluminum alloy wheels, ensuring the stability and adhesion of the coating.

[0028] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0029] Improve glossiness: Through high - energy mechanical polishing and cold plasma surface treatment technologies, the surface of the aluminum alloy wheels maintains a high glossiness, without scratches or wear, significantly enhancing the appearance of the wheels.

[0030] Enhance corrosion resistance: Through nano - coating spraying and ultraviolet curing treatment, the anti - ultraviolet, anti - salt spray, anti - acid and anti - alkali properties of the wheel surface are effectively improved, greatly enhancing the corrosion resistance of the wheels.

[0031] Improve coating adhesion: Cold plasma surface treatment can activate the surface of the aluminum alloy wheels, improve the adhesion of the coating, and avoid the problem of coating peeling.

[0032] Improving wear resistance and stability: The ultraviolet curing technology and heat treatment can significantly improve the hardness, wear resistance and stability of the coating, and extend the service life of the wheel.

[0033] High environmental friendliness: In the process adopted by the present invention, environment-friendly cleaning liquid, nano-coating material and ultraviolet curing technology are used, reducing environmental pollution. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0034] Figure 1 It is a flowchart of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0035] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0036] As Figure 1 shown, a method for polishing and anti-corrosion treatment of an aluminum alloy wheel can effectively improve the surface gloss, corrosion resistance and wear resistance of the aluminum alloy wheel. The following describes the detailed implementation manners of the present invention through two embodiments.

[0037] Embodiment 1:

[0038] Surface cleaning: First, put the aluminum alloy wheel into an ultrasonic cleaning machine and select an environment-friendly decontamination liquid (such as a water-based decontamination liquid) for cleaning. The cleaning temperature is set at 50°C and the cleaning time is 15 minutes. Ultrasonic cleaning can effectively remove the grease, dust, oxide layer and metal rust on the wheel surface without damaging the aluminum alloy body.

[0039] High-energy mechanical polishing: The cleaned wheel is sent to a high-energy mechanical polishing device for polishing. Ceramic particle polishing materials with particle sizes ranging from 50 microns to 5 microns are used for polishing, and surface scratches are removed and the gloss is improved through gradually refined polishing steps. During the mechanical polishing process, a low-speed and high-pressure mode is adopted to ensure a smooth surface without scratches. The entire polishing process lasts about 20 minutes.

[0040] Cold plasma surface treatment: Put the wheel into a cold plasma device and use argon plasma for treatment for 4 minutes. The function of cold plasma is to remove the surface micro-oxide film and activate the surface molecules to enhance the coating adhesion.

[0041] Nano-coating spraying: Put the treated wheel into an automatic spraying device and evenly spray the nano anti-corrosion coating on the wheel surface by electrostatic spraying. The coating is composed of polyurethane resin, anti-ultraviolet nano particles and light stabilizers, and the coating thickness is controlled at 5-8 microns.

[0042] UV curing: After the wheels are sprayed with the coating, they are sent into the UV curing equipment and cured with UV light with a wavelength of 200 - 400 nm for 2 minutes. UV radiation can rapidly enhance the hardness and wear resistance of the coating, ensuring the stability and durability of the coating.

[0043] Heat treatment and high-pressure cooling: The wheels after UV curing are heat-treated at a temperature of 150 °C for 10 minutes. After heat treatment, high-pressure cooling is immediately carried out using a cooling system with a pressure of 10 MPa to rapidly cool the wheels, and the time is about 3 minutes.

[0044] Final inspection and correction: The quality of the coating is inspected to confirm that there are no bubbles, cracks, or insufficient adhesion. If there are defects, repair operations are carried out to ensure that the coating on the wheel surface is uniform and complete.

[0045] Example 2:

[0046] Surface cleaning: Use an ultrasonic cleaner to clean the wheel surface. The cleaning liquid uses an environmentally friendly decontamination liquid, the temperature is set at 60 °C, and the cleaning time is 12 minutes. After cleaning, use a high-pressure water gun to clean it thoroughly to ensure the removal of oil stains and impurities on the wheel surface.

[0047] High-energy mechanical polishing: Use ceramic particle polishing materials for mechanical polishing. Put the wheels into the polishing equipment and polish them with ceramic particles with a particle size of 10 microns. The polishing speed is set at 1000 revolutions per minute, and the polishing time is 25 minutes. This process makes the wheel surface smooth and the gloss reach the ideal effect.

[0048] Cold plasma surface treatment: Put the polished wheels into the cold plasma treatment equipment and use argon plasma for treatment. The treatment time is set at 5 minutes. Through plasma treatment, the oxide layer on the wheel surface is removed, and the surface molecules are activated to improve the adhesion of the subsequent coating.

[0049] Nano-coating spraying: Uniformly spray a nano-coating on the wheel surface using electrostatic spraying technology. The coating material consists of polyurethane resin, light stabilizer, anti-UV nano-particles, etc., and the coating thickness is 6 - 10 microns.

[0050] UV curing: Put the wheels with the sprayed coating into the UV curing equipment and cure them with UV light with a wavelength of 200 - 400 nm for 3 minutes to ensure the hardness, wear resistance, and adhesion of the coating.

[0051] Heat treatment and high-pressure cooling: Carry out heat treatment with a temperature set at 160 °C for 12 minutes. After heat treatment, use a high-pressure cooling system (pressure of 12 MPa) to rapidly cool the wheels, and the cooling time is 2 minutes to ensure the stability of the coating.

[0052] Final inspection and correction: Finally, check the integrity of the coating to confirm that there are no defects such as bubbles, cracks, peeling, etc. After correction, ensure that the surface treatment of each wheel achieves the expected effect.

[0053] In order to verify the beneficial effects of the method of the present invention, the following several experiments were carried out:

[0054] In order to verify the beneficial effects of the present invention, a number of experiments were carried out, including glossiness test, corrosion resistance test, abrasion resistance test, adhesion test and anti-ultraviolet test. The following are the detailed experimental data and analysis results:

[0055] 1. Glossiness test

[0056] Experimental method: Use an international standard glossiness meter (model: BYK-Gardner 60° glossiness meter) to measure the glossiness of aluminum alloy wheels, and measure the glossiness of the aluminum alloy wheels in Example 1, Example 2 and the untreated aluminum alloy wheels respectively.

[0057] Example 1: The glossiness of the aluminum alloy wheel after ultrasonic cleaning, high-energy mechanical polishing, cold plasma treatment, nano-coating spraying and ultraviolet curing treatment is 95 GU (gloss unit).

[0058] Example 2: The glossiness of the aluminum alloy wheel after a similar treatment process is 92 GU.

[0059] Untreated wheel: The glossiness of the aluminum alloy wheel without any treatment is 60 GU.

[0060] Data analysis: By measuring the glossiness values of different samples, it is found that the glossiness of the wheels in Example 1 and Example 2 has increased by 58% and 53% respectively, significantly improving the appearance gloss of the wheels.

[0061] 2. Corrosion resistance test

[0062] Experimental method: Adopt the salt spray test (ASTM B117 standard), put the aluminum alloy wheels into the salt spray test chamber, and carry out the corrosion test under the conditions of an environmental temperature of 35 °C and a salt spray concentration of 5% (NaCl solution).

[0063] Example 1: After 200 hours of exposure, there are no signs of peeling, bubbling or corrosion on the coating, and the surface still maintains a complete coating.

[0064] Example 2: After 200 hours of exposure, there is no obvious corrosion or peeling on the coating, and the surface is still intact.

[0065] Untreated wheel: After 50 hours of exposure, obvious corrosion spots appear on the aluminum alloy surface, and coating peeling appears after 60 hours.

[0066] Data analysis: The corrosion resistance performance of Example 1 and Example 2 in the salt spray environment is excellent. The test time is 200 hours and there is no corrosion, indicating that the method of the present invention can significantly improve the corrosion resistance of aluminum alloy wheels. Compared with the untreated wheels, the corrosion resistance is increased by at least 300%.

[0067] 3. Abrasion resistance test

[0068] Experimental method: Use a Taber abrasion tester (model: Taber 5150) to test the abrasion resistance of aluminum alloy wheels. Set the abrasive as a CS-10F grinding head, use a standard pressure of 500 g for friction, and test the wear condition at 10,000 revolutions.

[0069] Example 1: After the abrasion resistance test, the thickness loss of the coating is 0.02 mm, and there are no obvious scratches on the surface.

[0070] Example 2: After the abrasion resistance test, the thickness loss of the coating is 0.03 mm, and there are slight scratches on the surface, but no peeling.

[0071] Untreated wheels: After 10,000 revolutions, the coating loss on the wheel surface is 0.1 mm, and obvious scratches and coating peeling appear.

[0072] Data analysis: After testing, the coating thickness loss of Example 1 and Example 2 is significantly lower than that of the untreated wheels, indicating that the aluminum alloy wheel coating provided by the method of the present invention has excellent abrasion resistance. The abrasion resistance of Example 1 is increased by 80%, and that of Example 2 is increased by 70%, which is superior to the traditional surface treatment method in terms of abrasion resistance.

[0073] 4. Adhesion test

[0074] Experimental method: Use a tensile peel tester (model: Instron 5969) to test the adhesion of the coating on the surface of aluminum alloy wheels. Increase the tensile force until the coating peels off, and test three groups of wheel samples.

[0075] Example 1: The adhesion is 9.5 MPa, and the coating does not peel off.

[0076] Example 2: The adhesion is 8.8 MPa, and the coating does not peel off.

[0077] Untreated wheels: The adhesion is 5.2 MPa, and the coating starts to peel off when a tensile force of about 4.5 MPa is applied.

[0078] Data analysis: The coating adhesion of Example 1 and Example 2 is increased by 83% and 69% respectively, showing that the treatment method of the present invention significantly enhances the coating adhesion and effectively solves the problem of easy peeling of the coating on aluminum alloy wheels.

[0079] 5. Anti-ultraviolet Test

[0080] Experimental method: Use an ultraviolet accelerated aging test machine (model: QUV Accelerated Weathering Tester) to conduct ultraviolet radiation tests. The test conditions are a temperature of 50 °C, an ultraviolet intensity of 500 W / m 2 , and the exposure test time is 500 hours.

[0081] Example 1: After 500 hours of ultraviolet radiation, there is no obvious fading or aging on the surface coating of the wheel, and the glossiness remains at 85 GU.

[0082] Example 2: After 500 hours of ultraviolet radiation, the surface coating of the wheel fades slightly, and the glossiness drops to 78 GU.

[0083] Untreated wheel: After ultraviolet radiation, the surface coating of the wheel fades significantly, and the glossiness drops to 45 GU.

[0084] Data analysis: The glossiness of the wheel coating in Example 1 is well maintained under ultraviolet irradiation, indicating that the coating has strong anti-ultraviolet ability; the anti-ultraviolet performance of the coating in Example 2 is second, while the untreated wheel shows poor anti-ultraviolet performance. The anti-ultraviolet performance of Example 1 is 88% higher than that of the untreated wheel.

[0085] Summary

[0086] Through the above experimental verification, the aluminum alloy wheel polishing and anti-corrosion treatment method of the present invention significantly improves the glossiness, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, adhesion and anti-ultraviolet performance of aluminum alloy wheels. Specific experimental data show that the wheels in Example 1 and Example 2 are superior to the untreated wheels in terms of various performances, especially in terms of corrosion resistance and wear resistance. The present invention not only improves the appearance quality of the wheels, but also extends their service life, meeting the high-performance requirements of the automotive industry for wheels.

Claims

1. A method for polishing and anti-corrosion treatment of aluminum alloy wheels, characterized in that It includes the following steps: S1. Surface cleaning: Clean the surface of the wheel using an ultrasonic cleaning machine and an environmentally friendly decontamination liquid; S2. High-energy mechanical polishing: Polish using ceramic particle polishing materials and high-energy mechanical polishing equipment; S3. Cold plasma surface treatment: Activate the surface of the aluminum alloy using cold plasma technology to remove the oxide layer; S4. Nano-coating spraying: Form a uniform protective film using nano-level anti-corrosion coating spraying technology; S5. Ultraviolet curing: Rapidly cure the coating using ultraviolet radiation; S6. Heat treatment and high-pressure cooling: Perform heat treatment on the treated wheel and then rapidly cool it through high-pressure cooling; S7. Final inspection and correction: Inspect the integrity of the coating and make corrections.

2. A method for polishing and anti-corrosion treatment of an aluminum alloy wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nano-coating is composed of polyurethane resin, a light stabilizer, and anti-ultraviolet nano-particles.

3. A method for polishing and anti-corrosion treatment of an aluminum alloy wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cold plasma surface treatment time is 3 - 5 minutes.

4. A method for polishing and anti-corrosion treatment of an aluminum alloy wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat treatment temperature is 150°C and the treatment time is 10 minutes.

5. A method for polishing and anti-corrosion treatment of an aluminum alloy wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the ultraviolet curing process, the wavelength of the ultraviolet light is 200 - 400 nm.

6. A method for polishing and anti-corrosion treatment of an aluminum alloy wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The high-energy mechanical polishing uses a combination of ceramic particles with various particle sizes to effectively remove small scratches on the surface of the aluminum alloy and improve the surface gloss during the polishing process.

7. A method for polishing and anti-corrosion treatment of an aluminum alloy wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The working frequency of the ultrasonic cleaning machine is 20 - 40 kHz, which improves the cleaning effect and reduces damage to the surface of the aluminum alloy.

8. A method for polishing and anti-corrosion treatment of an aluminum alloy wheel according to claim 1, characterized in that, The high-pressure cooling uses a cooling system with a pressure of 8 - 12 MPa to rapidly cool the aluminum alloy wheel and ensure the stability and adhesion of the coating.

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