Method of treating surface of aluminum substrate to increase performance of offshore equipment

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of treating the surface of an aluminum substrate, including (a) forming a porous oxide film on the surface of the aluminum substrate and (b) applying a corrosion inhibitor on the surface of the aluminum substrate having the oxide film formed thereon. The method of treating the surface of the aluminum substrate enables the formation of the porous oxide film on the surface of the aluminum substrate through surface treatment so that the applied corrosion inhibitor is partially absorbed into the porous oxide film, thus exhibiting superior corrosion resistance and anti-fouling effects of the metal substrate, compared to conventional surface treatment methods involving coating only with a corrosion inhibitor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating a surface of an aluminum substrate, comprising:
 (a) forming a porous oxide film on the surface of the aluminum substrate; and   (b) applying a corrosion inhibitor on the surface of the aluminum substrate having the oxide film formed thereon.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum substrate comprises Al7075. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (a) is performed using an anodizing process or a plasma electrolytic oxidation process. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the anodizing process is performed at room temperature at a voltage of 30 to 100 V for 1 to 3 hr. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein in (a), the oxide film is formed at a thickness of 10 to 20 μm on the surface of the aluminum substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the corrosion inhibitor is an oil-type corrosion inhibitor. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the corrosion inhibitor further comprises a viscosity controller. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (b) is performed using any one process selected from among spray coating, screen printing, brushing, and dipping. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (b) further comprises homogenizing the surface of the aluminum substrate, after the applying the corrosion inhibitor on the surface of the aluminum substrate having the oxide film formed thereon. 
     
     
         10 . An aluminum substrate for offshore equipment, manufactured by the method of any one of  claims 1  to  9 .