SURFCONTROLBIO Project
From 2019 to 2022
In the aerospace industry, the application of paint on aluminum parts is performed on components treated in surface treatment workshops, primarily using an electrolytic process in the form of an anodic oxidation bath.
A low-concentration sulfuric acid and tartaric acid-based anodic oxidation bath was introduced to replace traditional treatments containing hexavalent chromium, which is extremely toxic to humans and the environment. Since this oxidation bath was launched in production, surface treatment workshops have observed the presence of microorganisms in these baths, negatively impacting the expected quality of surface treatment.
The objective of this project is to understand and control the mechanisms of biomass development and to commercialize an industrial solution to monitor their evolution in surface treatment workshops.
Partners
Gaches Chimie Spécialités
GIT
CIRIMAT
TBI (UMR INSA CNRS INRAE)
CRITT Bio-Industries (INSA)
Budget
754 k€
Funding agencies
Europe
FEDER-FSE
Région Occitanie
(READYNOV Aéronautique 2018)
projeCt
ObjectiVEs
The project aims to:
- Identify the types of microorganisms present in surface treatment and rinsing baths.
- Establish the relationship between biomass development and the expected quality of treatments, particularly the structure of the oxide layer (adhesion tests, etc.) and the characteristics of the sealed oxide layer (salt spray tests, etc.).
- Define the physicochemical conditions for the development of microorganisms in surface treatment baths (acid matrix or mineral/organic base).
- Determine the physicochemical conditions for microorganism growth in the rinsing baths for treated parts (demineralized water matrix polluted at varying levels).
- Quantify bacterial growth using ATP-metry or any other relevant method to monitor bacterial activity throughout the lifespan of the treatment or rinsing bath.
- Assess the feasibility of improving the existing technology to limit microbial contamination in the baths (this improvement will not involve altering the bath composition).
- Develop innovative technology if the current process proves unsatisfactory.
CRITT Bio-industries
CONTRIBUTION
The CRITT Bio-Industries is tasked with developing and improving an extraction method. Its specific responsibilities include:
- Studying the operation of three surface treatment installations.
- Identifying zones where microorganisms develop.
- Conducting appropriate sampling.
- Characterizing the collected samples.
- Providing recommendations to limit microorganism development.