The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 09, 1993
Filed:
Apr. 29, 1992
Jeffrey Davidson, Millburn, NJ (US);
Robert Sherman, New Providence, NJ (US);
Richard Paciej, Lansdale, PA (US);
Takashi Sakanaka, Tsurugashima, JP;
Shigeki Hayashi, Sakai, JP;
Yoshiyuki Nakahara, Osaka, JP;
The BOC Group, Inc., New Providence, NJ (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for surface passivating stainless steel articles against the effects of corrosive materials having activities anywhere from aqueous salt solutions to corrosive gases such as hydrogen chloride and silane. Additionally, after the treatment and exposure of the article to moisture, when the article is subsequently flushed with a dry gaseous fluid, the time that the article takes to exhibit an acceptable moisture outgassing rate is reduced over an untreated article. In accordance with the present invention, the surface to be passivated is flushed with a dry gaseous fluid, chemically non-reactive with the stainless steel and containing essentially no oxygen. During such flushing, the articles is baked and cooled. The baking is accomplished at a predetermined temperature and time (preferably between about 250.0.degree. C. and about 500.0.degree. C. for about 4.0 hours) to effect, within the oxide layer, a reduction in adsorbed moisture and hydroxide content and an increase in chromium content. The article is allowed to cool after the baking step. Such gaseous fluid can comprise argon having a moisture content of no greater than 10.0 ppb and an oxygen content of about 10 ppb. No improvement was seen in a sample in which nitrogen was used. When nitrogen shows no improvement, the article should be flushed with a rare gas during baking which additionally should contain 10 ppb nitrogen or less.