Substitution of PFOS for use in nondecorative hard chrome plating

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very promising, this alternative solution was not found suitable for the varying
production at a.h. nichro Haardchrom A/S.
Large scale testing at a.h. nichro Haardchrom A/S
Large scale testing of the effect of Fumetrol ® 21 (Atotech) as an alternative to
PFOS was carried out at the hard chrome plating plant a.h. nichro
Haardchrom A/S in Hvidovre, Denmark.
The primary purpose of the test was to see if the Fumetrol ® 21 could be used
as an alternative to PFOS as mist suppressing agent with similar abilities to
suppress chromium-(VI) emissions from the chrome bath. 14 days of testing
was therefore carried out both with the use of PFOS and with the use of
Fumetrol ® 21 as mist suppressant. The conditions in the chrome bath and the
subjects to be chromated were the same in both cases. Five measurements
were carried out in both experiments, on day 1, day 3, day 7, day 10, and day
14 of the make-up of the chrome bath (i.e. addition of mist suppressing
agent).
The results showed that the alternative compound 1H,1H,2H,2Hperfluorooctane
sulfonic acid (Fumetrol ® 21) in a large scale test:
works as effective as PFOS as mist suppressing agent,
seems to have the same durability as PFOS as mist suppressing agent,
has the same price level as PFOS as mist suppressing agent,
can be substituted right away, when PFOS is burnt out in the chrome
bath, without the need of changing the entire chrome bath chemicals,
and
is an environmental improvement as it is less persistent, less
bioaccumulative, and less toxic than PFOS.
This project has therefore shown that it is possible to use a non-PFOS mist
suppressant for non-decorative hard chrome plating.