A replacement for Cr+6

Aculon, Inc. (San Diego, Calif.; www.aculon.com) has developed a formulation of its proprietary SAMP technology (Self-Assembled Monolayer of Phosphate) that can be used as an alternative to hexavalent chromium used in primers and conversion coatings to increase the adhesion of coatings to surfaces. The new SAMP formulation can immediately benefit industries using Cr+6 as a spray-driven primer, with applications such as golf club heads, electric circuit boards and beverage cans — anywhere that paint needs to adhere to and be durable on stainless steel, Ti and Al, says the firm. SAMP technology can coat surfaces to impart hydrophobicity, adhesion or corrosion inhibition. Such properties are achieved through covalent bonding between the SAMP and the material to which it is applied. The phosphonate is a phosphorous acid that combines a reactive phosphonic acid head and a carbon-based tail connected by a stable C–P bond. The heads react with the surface through metal-phosphorous bonds, and the tails stick out from the surface to provide the desired chemical functionality.â–    Click here for a full pdf version of the Chementator Section