Removing surface oxides from copper

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for improving the quality of an object made of a copper-based metal alloy, according to which method the object is treated at least in an oxide removal unit ( 3 ), so that in the oxide removal unit, oxides are removed from the object surface by means of cathodic reduction. The invention also relates to an arrangement for realizing the method according to claim 1 in order to improve the quality of an object made of a copper-based metal alloy, said arrangement comprising at least an oxide removal unit, which arrangement includes elements for realizing a cathodic reduction, such as an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte, so that the access of the oxygen created on the anode to the cathode is prevented by a membrane that is impermeable to oxygen.

1 . A method for manufacturing continuous material made of a copper-based metal alloy said method comprising treating the continuous material at least in an oxide removal unit, where the oxides are removed from the continuous material surface by means of cathodic reduction, including an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte, and then conducting the continuous material made of a copper-based metal alloy into continuously operated extrusion treatment.  
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the cathodic reduction, the employed electrolyte ( 11 ) is sodium carbonate solution.  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the cathodic reduction, the employed electrolyte is sulfuric acid solution.  
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein in the cathodic reduction, the employed cathode is an object made of a copper-based metal alloy, and the employed anode is a non-soluble material.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the employed anode ( 6 ) is made of platinum.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the cathodic reduction, on the anode oxygen is created and on the cathode copper is created.  
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein in connection with the anode, there is arranged at least one oxygen exhaust aperture that enables the exhaustion of oxygen.  
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the cathodic reduction, an ion-selective membrane is used that is impermeable to oxygen.  
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the membrane is placed between the anode and the cathode in order to prevent the oxygen from proceeding from the anode to the cathode.  
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 8  wherein the membrane is arranged symmetrically around the cathode, so that it surrounds the whole cathode.  
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein an object made of a copper-based metal alloy is subjected to a preliminary washing prior to the cathodic reduction.  
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein an object made of a copper-based metal alloy is subjected to etching by sulfuric acid prior to the cathodic reduction.  
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein sulfuric acid films are removed by mechanical drying.  
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein after cathodic reduction, the object is subjected to a rapid pressurized water washing.  
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the oxide removal unit and the working process are insulated from the surroundings by protective gas.  
   
   
       16 . An arrangement for realizing the method according to  claim 1  for manufacturing continuous material made of a copper-based material, said arrangement comprising at least an oxide removal unit, wherein the arrangement includes elements for realizing a cathodic reduction, including an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte, so that access of the gas created on the anode to the cathode is prevented by a membrane that is impermeable to oxygen and means for continuously operated extrusion treatment.