The RESINSURF project, coordinated by CIDETEC Surface Engineering and framed within the Interreg SUDOE Programme, has published the video of the webinar (coordinated by AIAS) held on 16 September, in which the consortium partners shared the latest technical developments, validation activities and results obtained in the pilots, offering an overall view of the progress achieved and the project’s future prospects.
Results of Pilot 2
Pilot 2 focuses on the development of functional treatments and coatings for light alloys (aluminium) that are completely chromium-free, replacing the traditional multilayer systems based on hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). The strategy combines an initial pre-treatment stage (tartaric-sulphuric anodising or conversion coatings) with a subsequent cataphoretic lacquering treatment in which corrosion inhibitors developed by SMALLMATEK are incorporated. In parallel, bath and part monitoring and control methods are implemented to guarantee the quality of the applied treatments.
During the session, the results of the parts validated by CIDETEC and by TITANIA, the partner responsible for validation at pilot-plant scale in this pilot, were presented.
- The parts processed by CIDETEC, with a thickness of around 50 microns — slightly above the thickness specifications currently accepted by the aeronautical sector — show very good behaviour against corrosion.
- TITANIA, remaining within the thickness ranges specified by the sector, still observes room for improvement, an aspect to be explored in future projects and in collaborations with companies.
The consortium’s overall impression is that the method is promising and that it is worth continuing to investigate it in the future.
Corrosion inhibitors: from the laboratory to the application
The webinar also featured contributions focused on the chemistry that makes this Cr(VI)-free solution possible. The Universidade de Aveiro, through CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials, presented the role of RESINSURF and explained the development of the corrosion inhibitors integrated into the coating. For its part, SMALLMATEK went deeper into the inhibitors used in this project: their working principles and their application in cataphoretic lacquering. The company, based in Aveiro, specialises in “smart” and eco-efficient additives for corrosion protection, based on the controlled release of active species from micro- and nanocontainers.smallmatek
A further step towards the Cr(VI)-free transition
The webinar, delivered in English, ended with a live question-and-answer session in which participants were able to interact with experts from the Universidade de Aveiro, CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials, SMALLMATEK, CIDETEC Surface Engineering and TITANIA. The full recording is available on the project’s YouTube channel, allowing the dissemination of the results to continue beyond the session itself.
This activity is part of RESINSURF’s objective of replacing toxic surface treatments with safer and more environmentally friendly alternatives, and of bringing its advances closer to the industry of the SUDOE area to facilitate compliance with European regulations. The project is co-financed by the European Commission through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).