US3271287A - Apparatus for annealing and electrolytically treating metallic strip - Google Patents

Apparatus for annealing and electrolytically treating metallic strip Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3271287A
US3271287A US240372A US24037262A US3271287A US 3271287 A US3271287 A US 3271287A US 240372 A US240372 A US 240372A US 24037262 A US24037262 A US 24037262A US 3271287 A US3271287 A US 3271287A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
annealing
metal
electrolytic
electrolyte
tank
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US240372A
Inventor
Post Wolfgang
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Alcan Holdings Switzerland AG
Original Assignee
Alusuisse Holdings AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Alusuisse Holdings AG filed Critical Alusuisse Holdings AG
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3271287A publication Critical patent/US3271287A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01G—CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES OR LIGHT-SENSITIVE DEVICES, OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE
    • H01G9/00—Electrolytic capacitors, rectifiers, detectors, switching devices, light-sensitive or temperature-sensitive devices; Processes of their manufacture
    • H01G9/0029—Processes of manufacture
    • H01G9/0032—Processes of manufacture formation of the dielectric layer
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D9/00—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor
    • C21D9/52—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor for wires; for strips ; for rods of unlimited length
    • C21D9/54—Furnaces for treating strips or wire
    • C21D9/56—Continuous furnaces for strip or wire
    • C21D9/62—Continuous furnaces for strip or wire with direct resistance heating
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25F—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC REMOVAL OF MATERIALS FROM OBJECTS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25F3/00—Electrolytic etching or polishing
    • C25F3/02—Etching
    • C25F3/04—Etching of light metals
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01G—CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES OR LIGHT-SENSITIVE DEVICES, OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE
    • H01G9/00—Electrolytic capacitors, rectifiers, detectors, switching devices, light-sensitive or temperature-sensitive devices; Processes of their manufacture
    • H01G9/004—Details
    • H01G9/04—Electrodes or formation of dielectric layers thereon

Definitions

  • the invention relates to process and an apparatus for annealing and electrolytic treatment of continuous lengths of metal, such as strips or wires, and especially to annealing and electrolytic etching of aluminium foil for electrolytic capacitors.
  • the electrode foil In the production of electrolytic capacitors the electrode foil is usually etched in order to increase its surface area. Before etching the foil is annealed, on the one hand to soften the foil after rolling, and on the other hand to volatilise lubricants and hence degrease the foil. This annealing is commonly efi'ected in a separate operation in annealing furnaces of various kinds.
  • annealing is effected by electrical resistance heating apart of the travelling length of metal, and electroyltic treatment is combined with it in one apparatus and in one working operation, by using sufiicient of the current flowing through the electrolytic treatment bath for annealing.
  • the whole or part of the current flowing through the electrolytic treatment bath can be used according to the extent of annealing desired.
  • the process is particularly suitable for the combined annealing and electrolytic etching of a continuous length of aluminium foil, which is passed through an electrolytic etching bath and is subjected before entering this bath to sufficient of the current flowing through the bath to anneal it.
  • a suitable apparatus for carrying out this process comprises an electrolytic treatment tank, means for passing a continuous length of metal through it, spaced electrical contact points for the metal defining between them an annealing zone, and a variable resistance connecting the points.
  • the annealing zone and the variable resistance are connected together in parallel in series with the electrolytic treatment bath, and in operation the proportion of current which flows through the annealing zone is controlled by the variable resistance.
  • the accompanying drawing shows schematically the preferred apparatus for annealing and electrolytic etching aluminium foil by the process according to the invention.
  • An aluminium foil 1 is unrolled from a supply roll 2, and is passed over contact rollers 3 and 4, which act as electrical contact points and define between them an annealing zone 5, and then into an etching bath 6.
  • the contact rollers may be made from copper or brass.
  • An electrode 7 dips into the etching bath. Current flows from a current source 8 via the electrode 7 through the bath 6 to the metal foil 1 and back to the current source 8 via the Patented Sept. 6, 1966 contact rollers 3 and 4. The whole of the current supplied by the current source 8 is used for the etching.
  • the foil only a part of the current flowing through the foil in the etching bath may be necessary. The higher the annealing temperature, the greater must be the current flowing through the annealing zone 5.
  • the contact rollers 3 and 4 are connected through a variable re sistance 9 in parallel with the annealing zone 5. The remaining current flows through the variable resistance 9. If the whole of the current used for etching is also necessary for annealing, the resistance 9 may be disconnected, and then the contact roller 4 serves only as a guide roller.
  • the annealing current can be adjusted as desired without it being necessary to alter the etching current. It is of course always necessary that the current fed to the electrolytic treatment bath should be greater than or equal to the current necessary for annealing.
  • the annealing zone 5 can be exposed to the atmosphere or can be surrounded by a screening tunnel through which an inert gas is passed. Further treatment baths can be installed after the etching bath '6.
  • metal strips or wires can be annealed and subjected to an electrolytic treatment such as etching or pickling.
  • a 50 mm. wide and 0.09 mm. thick aluminium foil having a purity of 99.99% was annealed by feeding it with a speed of 50 cm./min. through the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawing and was etched in an aqueous solution of 10% sodium chloride and 3% bydrochloric acid at -80 C.
  • the total current flowing through the apparatus and used for the etching amounted to 220 amps.
  • the resistance 9 was so adjusted that a partial current of amps flowed through the annealing zone 5.
  • the latter was 700 mm. long. In this way the aluminium foil was heated to a temperature of 350 C. By increasing the annealing current to 200 amps the temperature in the annealing zone rose to 450 C.
  • An apparatus for treating metal comprising an electrolytic treatment tank for containing an electrolyte for the electrolytic treatment of the metal, means for continuously advancing a continuous length of metal lengthwise through the electrolyte in said tank, two electrical contact points at the entrance side of said electrolytic tank in electrical contact with said metal and spaced therealong to define an annealing zone therebetween, and an incomplete electric circuit comprising a source of electric current having two terminals of opposite polarity, an electrode dipping into said electrolyte, an electrical connection between one of said terminals and said electrode, an electrical connection between the other terminal and the contact point furthest from the entrance side of the tank, and a variable resistance between said contact points in parallel with the section of the metal between said contact points while said metal is extending between said contact points, said circuit being completed by the continuous length of metal passing over the two electrical contact points and through the electrolyte.
  • one of the contact points is an electrically conductive roller adapted to be arranged at the surface of the liquid in the which an inert gas may be passed.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Electroplating Methods And Accessories (AREA)
  • Cleaning And De-Greasing Of Metallic Materials By Chemical Methods (AREA)

Description

Sept. 6, 1966 w. POST 3,271,287
APPARATUS FOR ANNEALING AND ELEGTROLYTIGALLY TREATING METALLIC STRIP Filed Nov. 27, 1962 INVENTOR. #64 FG/I/V P457 AT5NE s- United States Patent 3,271,287 APPARATUS FOR ANNEALING AND ELECTRO- LYTICALLY TREATING METALLIC STRIP Wolfgang Post, Singen am Hohentwiel, Germany, assignor to Swiss Aluminium Ltd., Chippis, Switzerland, a jointstock company of Switzerland Filed Nov. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 240,372 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Nov. 28, 1961, 13,827/ 61 3 Claims. (Cl. 204210) The invention relates to process and an apparatus for annealing and electrolytic treatment of continuous lengths of metal, such as strips or wires, and especially to annealing and electrolytic etching of aluminium foil for electrolytic capacitors.
In the production of electrolytic capacitors the electrode foil is usually etched in order to increase its surface area. Before etching the foil is annealed, on the one hand to soften the foil after rolling, and on the other hand to volatilise lubricants and hence degrease the foil. This annealing is commonly efi'ected in a separate operation in annealing furnaces of various kinds.
According to the present invention annealing is effected by electrical resistance heating apart of the travelling length of metal, and electroyltic treatment is combined with it in one apparatus and in one working operation, by using sufiicient of the current flowing through the electrolytic treatment bath for annealing. The whole or part of the current flowing through the electrolytic treatment bath can be used according to the extent of annealing desired. The process is particularly suitable for the combined annealing and electrolytic etching of a continuous length of aluminium foil, which is passed through an electrolytic etching bath and is subjected before entering this bath to sufficient of the current flowing through the bath to anneal it. By combining annealing and electrolytic treatment in this way treatment processes, for example in the production of roughened aluminium foils for electrolytic capacitors, can be substantially shortened and simplified. In particular, there is no need for a separate annealing operation, and annealing furnaces are dispensed with.
A suitable apparatus for carrying out this process comprises an electrolytic treatment tank, means for passing a continuous length of metal through it, spaced electrical contact points for the metal defining between them an annealing zone, and a variable resistance connecting the points. The annealing zone and the variable resistance are connected together in parallel in series with the electrolytic treatment bath, and in operation the proportion of current which flows through the annealing zone is controlled by the variable resistance.
The accompanying drawing shows schematically the preferred apparatus for annealing and electrolytic etching aluminium foil by the process according to the invention.
An aluminium foil 1 is unrolled from a supply roll 2, and is passed over contact rollers 3 and 4, which act as electrical contact points and define between them an annealing zone 5, and then into an etching bath 6. The contact rollers may be made from copper or brass. An electrode 7 dips into the etching bath. Current flows from a current source 8 via the electrode 7 through the bath 6 to the metal foil 1 and back to the current source 8 via the Patented Sept. 6, 1966 contact rollers 3 and 4. The whole of the current supplied by the current source 8 is used for the etching.
For annealing the foil only a part of the current flowing through the foil in the etching bath may be necessary. The higher the annealing temperature, the greater must be the current flowing through the annealing zone 5. For controlling the current flowing through the foil the contact rollers 3 and 4 are connected through a variable re sistance 9 in parallel with the annealing zone 5. The remaining current flows through the variable resistance 9. If the whole of the current used for etching is also necessary for annealing, the resistance 9 may be disconnected, and then the contact roller 4 serves only as a guide roller. Thus the annealing current can be adjusted as desired without it being necessary to alter the etching current. It is of course always necessary that the current fed to the electrolytic treatment bath should be greater than or equal to the current necessary for annealing.
In known apparatus for the electrolytic treatment of metal strip in which there is a current-supply roller be fore the electrolytic tank there may be said to be an annealing zone in the strip between the contact roller and the surface of the liquid in the tank. This annealing can not however be controlled, and the contact roller is therefore arranged as near as possible to the surface of the liquid so that annealing is reduced to a minimum. This uncontrollable annealing is preferably also avoided in the apparatus according to the invention by arranging one contact roller immediately at the surface of the liquid. In the drawing the roller 4 is separated from the electrolyte by an electrically insulating screen 10, for example of an insulating synthetic resin. The heat of the annealed foil is given up to the etching bath 6, which as is customary is at an elevated temperature, and can if necessary be cooled.
The annealing zone 5 can be exposed to the atmosphere or can be surrounded by a screening tunnel through which an inert gas is passed. Further treatment baths can be installed after the etching bath '6.
In a similar manner other metal strips or wires can be annealed and subjected to an electrolytic treatment such as etching or pickling.
The following example illustrates the treatment of aluminium foil by the present process:
A 50 mm. wide and 0.09 mm. thick aluminium foil having a purity of 99.99% was annealed by feeding it with a speed of 50 cm./min. through the apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawing and was etched in an aqueous solution of 10% sodium chloride and 3% bydrochloric acid at -80 C. The total current flowing through the apparatus and used for the etching amounted to 220 amps. The resistance 9 was so adjusted that a partial current of amps flowed through the annealing zone 5. The latter was 700 mm. long. In this way the aluminium foil was heated to a temperature of 350 C. By increasing the annealing current to 200 amps the temperature in the annealing zone rose to 450 C.
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for treating metal, comprising an electrolytic treatment tank for containing an electrolyte for the electrolytic treatment of the metal, means for continuously advancing a continuous length of metal lengthwise through the electrolyte in said tank, two electrical contact points at the entrance side of said electrolytic tank in electrical contact with said metal and spaced therealong to define an annealing zone therebetween, and an incomplete electric circuit comprising a source of electric current having two terminals of opposite polarity, an electrode dipping into said electrolyte, an electrical connection between one of said terminals and said electrode, an electrical connection between the other terminal and the contact point furthest from the entrance side of the tank, and a variable resistance between said contact points in parallel with the section of the metal between said contact points while said metal is extending between said contact points, said circuit being completed by the continuous length of metal passing over the two electrical contact points and through the electrolyte.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which one of the contact points is an electrically conductive roller adapted to be arranged at the surface of the liquid in the which an inert gas may be passed.
References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,285,887 6/1918 Alexander et al 219-155 1,804,486 5/1931 Wright 204-210 2,463,412 3/ 1949 Nachtman 20421O XR 2,755,238 7/1956 Turner 204141 XR 3,123,543 11/ 1961 Chapman et al 204-207 JOHN H. MACK, Primary Examiner.
R. K. MIHALEK, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. AN APPARATUS FOR TREATING METAL, COMPRISING AN ELECTROLYTIC TREATMENT TANK FOR CONTAINING AN ELECTROLYTE FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC TREATMENT OF THE METAL, MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY ADVANCING A CONTINUOUS LENGTH OF METAL LENGTHWISE THROUGH THE ELECTROLYTE IN SAID TANK, TWO ELECTRICAL CONTACT POINTS AT THE ENTRANCE SIDE OF SAID ELECTROLYTIC TANK IN ELECTRICAL CONTACT WITH SAID METAL AND SPACED THERE ALONG TO DEFINE AN ANNEALING ZONE THEREBETWEEN, AND AN INCOMPLETE ELECTRIC CIRCUIT COMPRISING A SOURCE OF ELECTRIC CURRENT HAVING TWO TERMINALS OF OPPOSITE POLARITY, AN ELECTRODE DIPPING INTO SAID ELECTROLYTE, AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN ONE OF SAID TERMINALS AND SAID ELECTRODE, AN ELEC-
US240372A 1961-11-28 1962-11-27 Apparatus for annealing and electrolytically treating metallic strip Expired - Lifetime US3271287A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH1382761A CH407697A (en) 1961-11-28 1961-11-28 Process and device for the continuous annealing and electrolytic treatment of metals in the form of strips or wires

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3271287A true US3271287A (en) 1966-09-06

Family

ID=4395663

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US240372A Expired - Lifetime US3271287A (en) 1961-11-28 1962-11-27 Apparatus for annealing and electrolytically treating metallic strip

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3271287A (en)
CH (1) CH407697A (en)
GB (1) GB947852A (en)
NL (1) NL286037A (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3714016A (en) * 1969-02-05 1973-01-30 Kolene Corp Aluminum shield for a roll in continuous strip apparatus
US4276347A (en) * 1976-12-25 1981-06-30 Mitsui Petrochemical Industries, Ltd. Reinforced resinous laminate
US4551210A (en) * 1984-11-13 1985-11-05 Olin Corporation Dendritic treatment of metallic surfaces for improving adhesive bonding
CN109487050A (en) * 2019-01-15 2019-03-19 浙江金冠特种变压器有限公司 It is a kind of for producing the copper wire annealing device of power supply line

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1285887A (en) * 1918-06-06 1918-11-26 Herbert Alexander Annealing metal wire by electricity.
US1804486A (en) * 1928-08-18 1931-05-12 Wright Parvin Apparatus for treating wires
US2463412A (en) * 1942-07-25 1949-03-01 John S Nachtman Electric resistance heat-treating of electroplated coatings
US2755238A (en) * 1955-03-25 1956-07-17 Sprague Electric Co Electrolytic etching and oxidizing of aluminum
US3123543A (en) * 1961-11-24 1964-03-03 Method and apparatus for feeding articles

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1285887A (en) * 1918-06-06 1918-11-26 Herbert Alexander Annealing metal wire by electricity.
US1804486A (en) * 1928-08-18 1931-05-12 Wright Parvin Apparatus for treating wires
US2463412A (en) * 1942-07-25 1949-03-01 John S Nachtman Electric resistance heat-treating of electroplated coatings
US2755238A (en) * 1955-03-25 1956-07-17 Sprague Electric Co Electrolytic etching and oxidizing of aluminum
US3123543A (en) * 1961-11-24 1964-03-03 Method and apparatus for feeding articles

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3714016A (en) * 1969-02-05 1973-01-30 Kolene Corp Aluminum shield for a roll in continuous strip apparatus
US4276347A (en) * 1976-12-25 1981-06-30 Mitsui Petrochemical Industries, Ltd. Reinforced resinous laminate
US4551210A (en) * 1984-11-13 1985-11-05 Olin Corporation Dendritic treatment of metallic surfaces for improving adhesive bonding
CN109487050A (en) * 2019-01-15 2019-03-19 浙江金冠特种变压器有限公司 It is a kind of for producing the copper wire annealing device of power supply line

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH407697A (en) 1966-02-15
NL286037A (en)
GB947852A (en) 1964-01-29

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US2495695A (en) Electroplating apparatus
ES339386A1 (en) Float glass surface modification process
US3079308A (en) Process of anodizing
US2093238A (en) Plating of wire
US4390407A (en) Electrolytic processing device for belt-shaped metal plates
US3271287A (en) Apparatus for annealing and electrolytically treating metallic strip
KR100487646B1 (en) Process and a device for electrolytic pickling of metallic strip
US2349569A (en) Processing of metal strip
US2953507A (en) Method for electrolytic thickness reduction of metal wires
US2197653A (en) Method of electrically pickling and cleaning stainless steel and other metals
SU1118285A3 (en) Method of obtaining zeolite type l surface-modified glass
US999749A (en) Method of forming coils for electric apparatus.
TWI399142B (en) Pretreatment method of electroplating of printed wiring board
US1319085A (en) jacobsomt
US4714626A (en) Process for treating conductive profiles, particularly metallic conductive wires, the installation for carrying said process into effect, and treated profiles so obtained
US4391685A (en) Process for electrolytically pickling steel strip material
US2267146A (en) Apparatus for electrically pickling and cleaning stainless steel and other metals
US3160481A (en) Mate tin plate
US2164850A (en) Method of conditioning chrome alloy wire and apparatus for the practice of said method
US4154432A (en) Direct-current electrical heat-treatment of continuous metal sheets in a protective atmosphere
US2407120A (en) Strip processing
JP4157441B2 (en) Indirect energization type continuous electrolytic etching method and indirect energization type continuous electrolytic etching apparatus for low iron loss unidirectional silicon steel sheet
US3492544A (en) Pulsing method for electrochemically forming a film on a metal and product of the method
JP4890387B2 (en) Manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus for grain-oriented silicon steel sheet
JPH06346289A (en) Method for anodization and device therefor