Everything You Need to Know About Blackening Aluminium
Blackening aluminium creates a black oxide layer over your chosen metal to form a protective shield. It is used in many different industries and for varying products, so knowing everything about it can be handy. If you’re wondering how to blacken aluminium and what it can be used for, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the blackening aluminium process to answer your questions.
What is blackening aluminium?
Blackening aluminium is a metal blackening process that chemically alters the surface of the aluminium. This blackening process is created by anodising that forms an aluminium oxide layer that’s then dyed black. These black oxides give the blackened aluminium its eye-catching colour, which is great for both aesthetic and practical purposes. The main benefits of blackening aluminium are its corrosion resistance and durability.
The metal blackening process aims for a durable and even finish. This can depend on the anodising process or dye used, as some dyes can fade quicker than others. The dyeing or hard anodising process that’s chosen can depend on the finish you want to achieve as well as the chosen metal. It’s important to note that not all grades of aluminium can go through the blackening process; this will only work with series 5, 6, and 7 aluminium.
What are the uses of blackening aluminium?
Blackening aluminium has many uses, and creating a black coating for aluminium is used to create specific items in many industries. Some of the main uses of metal blackening include:
- Satellite components – Aluminium is often dyed black and used for satellite components due to its ability to emit thermal radiation.
- Sports equipment – This includes baseball bats, gym weights, and ski poles because of the metal’s durability and light weight.
- Kitchen appliances – It is used to give a practical and aesthetic look to appliances such as oven handles and coffee maker parts.
- Industrial machinery – Metal blackening is frequently used to create machinery and equipment like valves and rollers.
How to blacken aluminium
To blacken aluminium, the metal first has to go through the hard anodising process. It can then be dyed black by a layer of aluminium oxide. Below, we have outlined the steps for the metal blackening process.
- Place the aluminium in an acid electrolyte bath to start the anodising process. The creation of aluminium oxide occurs when the metal’s outer layer is converted electrolytically.
- After the hard anodising process, the aluminium’s surface is porous and ready for dyeing. These pores store the dye during the blackening process. There are three dyeing techniques that can be used:
- Electrolytic dyeing – This involves immersing the anodised aluminium into another electrolysis bath.
- Inorganic dyeing – This uses non-water-soluble pigments to provide long-lasting a long-lasting colour.
- Organic dyeing – This process uses water-soluble dyes that are dissolved in warm water before adding them to a dye bath.
- The last step is to seal the anodising to close the present aluminium oxide pores to trap the black dye. This involves using a nickel acetate or acid bath to help prevent the colours from bleeding or fading.
To learn more about metal blackening and our blackening aluminium services, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Give us a call on 01202 677939 and we’ll be happy to provide a quote. You can also browse our website to see the full range of services we offer.