SURFACE CONTAMINANTS AND TESTS FOR DETECTION Any contaminants left on a prepared substrate will effect the adhesion of a coating to that substrate, and therefore specifications often request that certain tests are done to ensure that contamination is within set criteria. Some tests are qualitative and some are quantitative. A qualitative testis one, which give a result as accept/reject, pass/fail, go/no go, whereas a quantitative test is one, which gives a result in known units e.g. milligrams/m?. eee. v units e.g, milligrams/m Test for soluble iron salts This is a qualitative test, it will not even differentiate between the salts. It will detect the presence of either Sulphates or Chlorides. This test is known as the Potassium Ferricyanide test, although it is now under a new universal naming system, known as Potassium Hexe-cyanoferrate, a name more descriptive of its formula. Test papers, usually Whatman N°3 laboratory filter papers are soaked in a 5 - 10% solution of potassium ferricyanide and distilled water, and left to dry. The result is a lime green paper, fringed with an orange brim. The area of blast to be tested is sprayed with a fine mist of distilled water, (any other water is likely to contain dissolved salts), and left a few seconds to allow the salts, if present, to dissolve and form a solution. ‘A potassium ferricyanide test paper is then applied to the area and by capillary action draws up ‘the solution like blotting paper. If there are any dissolved salts they react with the potassium ferricyanide to form potassium ferrocyanide, The ferrocyanide is prussian blue and shows as blue spots on a lime green background. Test to detect soluble chlorides ‘The test for detecting chloride salts is known as the Silver Nitrate Test. As with the previous test a solution of silver nitrate, 2% with distilled water, is made and the Whatman papers cut into strips. ann The strips are then soaked in the solution and pressed onto the area under test for about 20 seconds, then washed in distilled water. = Painting Inspection Grade 3/2. Rev | April 2004 “EWI woe came ron Surface Contaminants 3 MATERIALS JOINING LM ‘vecuno.ocy Copyright © 2003, TWI Ltd‘The reaction between silver nitrate and any chloride salts present produces silver chiloride, which remains on the strip after washing. If the strip is then dipped into photographie developer the chlorides show up as black/brown. ease mien Other tests for salts ne 1 Merkoquant — aah" ® A salts/water solution is made by swabbing an area of 150 mm x 150 mm with distilled water, 22.5 ml. Merkoquant strips are then dipped into the solution and the resulting colour change is compared to a master chart on the container. The concentration is read off from the chart. Bresle sample patch Reported as being 95% accurate. An adhesive patch with a rubber diaphragm is stuck onto the surface and distilled water injected and extracted several times to produce a solution of any salts present. By a process of Mercuric Nitrate Titration concentrations of 15 mg/m’ can be detected. A quantitative test. 3 Salt contamination meters Salt contamination meters measure the resistivity or conductivity of a given sample and convert this value into @ concentration (mg/m). With any of the above tests, if the amount of salts present is greater than specified, the area should be washed down with copious amounts of clean water, reblasted and retested. Test to detect the presence of millscale Millscale being cathodic in relation to steel can cause corrosion cells under a paint film and subsequent early disbondment. Millscale in small quantities is permitted on a SA 2% blast standard, but not on an SA3. Therefore the test needs to be carried out only if the specification requires an SA3. Blasted steel is dark grey in colour and millscale is dark blue, so by naked eye the contrast is difficult. However, if the surface is sprayed with a fine mist of slightly acidic copper sulphate solution, the solution ionises and tints the steel copper colour and blackens the millscale, if ‘BRSSEHT thus providing abevercontast. =< If this test indicates millscale presence then it should be reblasted and then retested. Painting Inspection Grade 3/2. Rew 1 April 2004 TWH wou cove ror Surface Contaminants 32 MATERIALS JONING CLM ‘ecwwo.cay Copyright © 2003, TWE LtdTest to detect the presence of dust on a substrate Any dust on a blasted substrate will adversely effect the adhesion of a paint film. In conditions ive humidity, dust and finings passing down a blast hose become electro statically d stick onto the gubstrate. Brushing or air blowing the surface will not remove them, e tape however, will. If a piece of self adhesive tape is stuck onto the surface and snatched off, the dust/finings sticks to the tape. By then sticking the tape onto white paper the dust can easily be seen. Test to detect the presence of moisture on a substrate Presence of moisture, even in the teeniest amount, can affect the choice of paints and if work can be done or otherwise. A very simple test for the presence of moisture is to sprinkle with talc or powdered chalk and then lightly blow away. The powder will stick to areas where moisture is, Test to detect the presence of oil or grease Other than ultra violet light, oil and grease can be detected by dropping solvent onto the suspect area, and absorbing the solution on Whatman or blotting paper. The solvent will evaporate and oil or grease will give a darker appearance, Painting Inspection Grade 3/2. Rev | April 2004 "TW wou cewme ron Surface Contaminants 33 MATERIALS JOINING TECHNOLOGY Copyright © 2003, TWI LtdPainting Inspection Grade 3/2. Rev 1 April 2004 (WORLD CENTRE FOR Surface Contaminants 34 CLM) NEERAS ION Copyright © 2003, TWI Lid TECHNOLOGY