Re: Seeking information about anodization supplies

[Daniel Crowe <dcrowe@SOTC.ORG>]

Reply interspersed below.

Daniel Crowe
Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics
Ardmore Regional Center
dcrowe@sotc.org

On Tue, 15 Jun 2004 09:36:41 -0500, Brian Whatcott <betwys1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
wrote:

> At the risk of being tedious:
> Wouldn't aluminum clips soon be anodized, and unconductive?

Although aluminum clips would become anodized, leading to electrical
failure, this process is self-limiting and easily correctible by
selectively etching the aluminum oxide.  The etching of copper clips is a
runaway process that can rapidly lead to both electrical and mechanical
failure.

> Teflon jars would be expensive, polycarbonate would be cheap:
> is the life cost really so much lower for teflon?

I am not the PI on this project, and the PI wants me to pursue the
possibility of using teflon containers.  If we cannot locate suitable
teflon containers, we will probably use polycarbonate, which is fine by me.

> Brian W
>
> At 05:45 PM 6/14/2004, you wrote:
> > I am having difficulty finding information about some supplies I would
> > like to have for anodizing aluminum.  I am looking for aluminum clips and
> > teflon containers.
> >
> > The aluminum clips should have flat contact surfaces, unlike alligator
> > clips.  We currently use copper clips, but the copper is etched by the
> > acid solutions we use.
> >
> > The teflon containers should be cylindrical, approximately 8 cm in
> > diameter and 10 cm tall, and should have screw top lids.