REACH - Applications for authorisation AFA049-01 Chromium trioxide
Overview
Public consultation on alternatives
Reference: AFA049-01
Applicant: Surface Engineering Association Chromium Trioxide Authorisation Consortium (22 companies – see names on application documents)
Application type: Initial
Substance name: Chromium Trioxide
EC number: 215-607-8
CAS number: 1333-82-0
Proposed use: Use of chromium trioxide for the hard (functional/engineering) chromium electroplating of engineering components with the purpose of creating a coating to meet specific performance characteristics.
Broad information on use applied for (conditions of use and function): Typical components are hydraulic pistons and cylinders, automotive components, general engineering, shafts and pump rotors, fire protection, components for the production of textiles and printing, defence sector, power generation sector, press punches, tooling, dies and moulds. All the companies involved in this application carry out sub-contract hard chromium electroplating.
Hard chromium plating which represents the surface treatment of metal components with a water-based chromium trioxide mixture (namely chromic acid) to deposit a metallic chromium coating using an electrolytic plating process. The surface of the finished product is entirely free of hexavalent chrome, with the chromium coating being essentially inert. The metallic chromium electroplating coating is fully recyclable.
In simple terms, electroplating is achieved by passing an electric current between two electrodes which are immersed in an electrolyte bath comprising of chromic acid. One of the electrodes will be the substrate which is to be plated. During the flow of electricity between the two electrodes, chromium atoms are deposited in a layer on the electrode to be plated. The thickness of the resultant chromium plating layer is dependent upon the length of time that the component is left in the chrome plating tank. Hard chromium electroplating has been commercially available since the late 1920’s, and the process has continued to be improved and developed.
This application covers the use of chromium trioxide for hard chromium electroplating at 22 separate Companies and carried out on a sub-contract basis.
List of descriptors:
- Life cycle stage (LCS): Use at industrial site
- Sector of end Use (SU): 0 (Other: manufacture of products for automotive and other applications)
- Product Category (PC): 14 (Metal surface treatment products)
- Process Category (PROC): 1, 4, 8b, 13, 28
- Environmental Release Category (ERC): ERC6B
- Article Category related to subsequent service life: N/A
- Technical Function (TF): Plating agent
Annual tonnage used: between 30 and 35 tonnes
Review period requested: 12 years
How to submit comments
Provide some basic information on possible alternative(s) in the online survey below but more detailed information should be provided in document(s) prepared using the commenting templates in the related section below. A “public version” should always be completed and will be published after the consultation has closed. If you want to include confidential information in your submission, please additionally complete a “confidential version” and submit both versions as attachments.
The consultation lasts for 8 weeks (unless otherwise specified) and closes at 23:59 London time (BST).
Audiences
- Applications for authorisation
Interests
- Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation & restriction of CHemicals (REACH)
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