Surface Treatment with Metal Salts - Lohtragon

Unlock the Full Potential of Metal Surfaces with Lohtragon®

When it comes to enhancing the performance, durability, and aesthetics of metal surfaces, chemical surface treatment is a game-changer.

While intrinsic material properties such as tensile strength, impact resistance, and thermal stability are critical, optimizing the surface can add a new layer of functionality and improve these already essential features. That is where Lohtragon^® comes in, offering a range of products specifically designed for chemical surface treatments like metal pickling, aluminium etching, and electroplating.

Metal Pickling

Electroplating

Metal salts play a crucial role in electroplating processes as they take on various key functions.

Surface Treatment Tribology

Key Metal Salts for Aluminium Surface Treatment

Lohtragon^® O20 – Ferric Ammonium Oxalate

An excellent candidate for controlled oxidation and surface preparation, this Iron(III)-based salt supports:

Oxidative coloring of aluminium in bronze or yellow tones
Activation or passivation prior to coating or bonding
Mild surface etching without aggressive acids

By combining ferric ions with oxalate complexation, Lohtragon^® O20 enables redox-active surface interactions that are both functional and visually effective.

Lohtragon® V04 – Ferrous Sulfate / Lohtragon® V28 – Ferric Sulfates

Used in acid etching and pickling formulations, these salts help remove surface oxides and deposits left by alkaline degreasing steps - crucial for thin coatings (<140 μm) as found in aerospace or automotive aluminium components.

Use Cases:

Acid etching baths replacing nitric/chromic acids
Pre-treatment of aluminium sheets and car bodies
Surface prep for bonding, painting, or anodizing

Lohtragon^® Complexing Agents – Citrates, Tartrates, Oxalates

Complexing agents such as:

These complexing agents are ideal for buffering, pH control, and controlled interaction with aluminium surfaces - ensuring uniform, reproducible results in multi-metal systems or when minimizing attack on specific aluminium alloys.

Surface Perfection through Customized Chemistry

Aluminium’s popularity across industries - from aerospace and automotive to electronics and packaging - is rooted in its low weight, corrosion resistance, and versatile surface properties. But to ensure consistent coating, bonding, coloring, or corrosion resistance, the aluminium surface must be pre-treated and modified using precise chemical methods.

Lohtragon^® products support aluminium surface treatment with customized metal salts, if desired developed in close collaboration with your technical teams.
We do not only sell pre-packaged solutions - we help you create them.

Application Areas for Aluminium Surface Treatment

Our metal salt-based developments apply to a broad range of aluminium treatments, including:

Architectural panels with decorative oxidation
Aerospace and automotive body parts requiring uniform coatings
Anodizing pre-treatments
Electronic housings needing passivation
Adhesion enhancement for paints, foils, or composites
Battery housing components for EV systems

Each use case requires specific chemistry, bath design, and compatibility checks - your expertise supported by our team of Lohtragon^® metal salt specialists.

Sustainable Surface Chemistry – Without Compromise

As regulatory pressures phase out toxic and environmentally harmful components such as chromates or nitrates, Lohtragon^® helps you develop greener alternatives using:

REACH-compliant, low-toxicity salts
Biodegradable and chromate-free systems
Low-metal contamination options for high-purity surface demands
High consistency and traceability for aerospace or electronics standards

Custom Formulation Development - Not Off-the-Shelf Products

At Lohtragon^®, we do not only offer standardized aluminium surface treatment products. Instead, we provide:

Access to a broad metal salt portfolio
In-house expertise in surface chemistry and redox systems
Application lab support for test formulation and simulation
Adaptation to your process: immersion, spray, roll-coat, or electrochemical
Regulatory support

Our goal is to design application-specific additive systems that meet your technical, regulatory, and sustainability requirements.

Let’s Discuss Your Aluminium Surface Treatment Solution

Do you need an optimized, sustainable pickling system? Looking to replace critical ingredients? Or want to explore the use of iron salts for functional oxidation?
Get in touch with our Lohtragon^® experts to discuss your needs.