Compositions and processes for deposition of metal ions onto surfaces of conductive substrates

Abstract

The present invention provides compositions and processes for preparing metallic ions for deposition on and/or into conductive substrates, such as metals, to substantially eliminate friction from metal to metal contact. It is used in the aqueous embodiment to form new metal surfaces on all metal substrates. The processes form stable aqueous solutions of metal and metalloid ions that can be adsorbed or absorbed on and/or into conductive substrates. The aqueous solutions consist of ammonium alkali metal phosphate salts, and/or ammonium alkali metal sulfate salts mixed with a water soluble metal or metalloid salt from Group I through Group VIII of the periodic table of elements. The aqueous solutions allow for a nano deposition of the metal ions on and/or into the surfaces of conductive substrates. The surfaces created by the deposited metal ions will provide metal passivation and substantially eliminate friction in metal-to-metal contact without the use of hydrocarbon based lubricants.

1 . A process for producing aqueous solutions of non-alkaline metals for deposition onto surfaces, comprising the steps:
 1) forming a solution of water with orthophosphoric acid;   2) adding ammonium hydroxide to the solution of step 1;   3) adding an alkali metal hydroxide in water to the solution produced by steps 1 and 2; and   4) adding a non-alkaline metal salt to the solution produced by steps 1, 2 and 3.   
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein step 1 further comprises forming a solution of 0.5 to 1.5 parts of water with 0.5 to 1.5 parts of orthophosphoric acid, wherein said orthophosphoric acid is 75% to 85%; step 2 further comprises adding 0.5 to 1.5 parts of ammonium hydroxide to the solution of step 1, wherein said ammonium hydroxide is 20 to 30%; step 3 further comprises adding 0.5 to 1.5 parts of an alkali metal hydroxide in water to the solution produced by steps 1 and 2, wherein said alkali metal hydroxide in water is 40% to 60%; and step 4 further comprises adding 0.1 to 10 grams of an non-alkaline metal salt to each 80 to 100 ml of the solution produced by steps 1, 2 and 3. 
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said non-alkaline metal salt is a salt of copper, silver, gold beryllium, magnesium, zinc, cadmium, aluminum, gallium, indium, silicon, tin, lead, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, antimony, bismuth; vanadium, niobium, tantalum, selenium, tellurium, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, palladium, or rhodium, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said alkali metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or lithium hydroxide, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       5 . A process for producing aqueous solutions of non-alkaline metals for deposition onto surfaces, comprising the steps:
 1) forming a solution of 0.5 to 1.5 parts of water with 0.5 to 1.5 parts of orthophosphoric acid, wherein said orthophosphoric acid is 75% to 85%;   2) adding 0.5 to 1.5 parts of ammonium hydroxide to the solution of step 1, wherein said ammonium hydroxide is 20 to 30%;   3) adding 0.5 to 1.5 parts of an alkali metal hydroxide in water to the solution produced by steps 1 and 2, wherein said alkali metal hydroxide in water is 40% to 60%; and   4) adding 0.1 to 10 grams of an non-alkaline metal salt to each 80 to 100 ml of the solution produced by steps 1, 2 and 3.   
   
   
       6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein said non-alkaline metal salt is a salt of copper, silver, gold beryllium, magnesium, zinc, cadmium, aluminum, gallium, indium, silicon, tin, lead, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, antimony, bismuth; vanadium, niobium, tantalum, selenium, tellurium, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, palladium, or rhodium, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       7 . The process of  claim 6  wherein said alkali metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or lithium hydroxide, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       8 . A process for producing aqueous solutions of non-alkaline metals for deposition onto surfaces, comprising the steps:
 1) forming a solution of water with sulfuric acid;   2) adding ammonium hydroxide to the solution of step 1;   3) adding an alkali metal hydroxide in water to the solution produced by steps 1 and 2; and   4) adding a non-alkaline metal salt to the solution produced by steps 1, 2 and 3.   
   
   
       9 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein step 1 further comprises forming a solution of 0.5 to 1.5 parts of water with 0.5 to 1.5 parts of concentrated sulfuric acid; step 2 further comprises adding 0.5 to 1.5 parts of ammonium hydroxide to the solution of step 1, wherein said ammonium hydroxide is 20 to 30%; step 3 further comprises adding 0.5 to 1.5 parts of an alkali metal hydroxide in water to the solution produced by steps 1 and 2, wherein said alkali metal hydroxide in water is 40% to 60%; and step 4 further comprises adding 0.1 to 10 grams of an non-alkaline metal salt to each 80 to 100 ml of the solution produced by steps 1, 2 and 3. 
   
   
       10 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein said non-alkaline metal salt is a salt of copper, silver, gold beryllium, magnesium, zinc, cadmium, aluminum, gallium, indium, silicon, tin, lead, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, antimony, bismuth; vanadium, niobium, tantalum, selenium, tellurium, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, palladium, or rhodium, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       11 . The process of  claim 8  wherein said alkali metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or lithium hydroxide, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       12 . A process for producing aqueous solutions of non-alkaline metals for deposition onto surfaces, comprising the steps:
 1) forming a solution of 0.5 to 1.5 parts of water with 0.5 to 1.5 parts of concentrated sulfuric acid;   2) adding 0.5 to 1.5 parts of ammonium hydroxide to the solution of step 1, wherein said ammonium hydroxide is 20 to 30%;   3) adding 0.5 to 1.5 parts of an alkali metal hydroxide in water to the solution produced by steps 1 and 2, wherein said alkali metal hydroxide in water is 40% to 60%; and   4) adding 0.1 to 10 grams of an non-alkaline metal salt to each 80 to 100 ml of the solution produced by steps 1, 2 and 3.   
   
   
       13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein said non-alkaline metal salt is copper, silver, gold beryllium, magnesium zinc, cadmium, aluminum, gallium, indium, silicon, tin, lead, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, antimony, bismuth; Group V-B: vanadium, niobium, tantalum, selenium, tellurium, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, palladium, or rhodium, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       14 . The process of  claim 13  wherein said alkali metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or lithium hydroxide, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       15 . An aqueous composition of a non-alkaline metal salt, comprising water, a mineral acid, ammonium hydroxide, an alkali metal hydroxide, and a non-alkaline metal salt. 
   
   
       16 . The aqueous composition of  claim 15  wherein said mineral acid is orthophosphoric acid or sulfuric acid. 
   
   
       17 . The aqueous composition of  claim 16  wherein said non-alkaline metal salt is a salt of copper, silver, gold, beryllium, magnesium, zinc, cadmium, aluminum, gallium, indium, silicon, tin, lead, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, antimony, bismuth; vanadium, niobium, tantalum, selenium, tellurium, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, palladium, or rhodium, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       18 . The aqueous composition of  claim 17  wherein said alkali metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or lithium hydroxide, or a combination thereof. 
   
   
       19 . The aqueous composition of  claim 18  wherein said non-alkaline metal salt will form a permanent coating 0.05 to 10 microns thickness on the surface of a metal when said aqueous composition is applied to said surface, wherein said coating will reduce the wear of the surface of the metal. 
   
   
       20 . The aqueous composition of  claim 15  wherein said non-alkaline metal salt will form a permanent coating 0.05 to 10 microns thickness on the surface of a metal when said aqueous composition is applied to said surface, wherein said aqueous composition is produced by the process of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       21 . The aqueous composition of  claim 15  wherein said non-alkaline metal salt will form a permanent coating 0.05 to 10 microns thickness on the surface of a metal when said aqueous composition is applied to said surface, wherein said aqueous composition is produced by the process of  claim 8 .