Process and solution for removing titanium and refractory metals and their alloys from tools

Claim 2

A COMPOSITION FOR REMOVING REFRACTORY METALS, TITANIUM AND ALLOYS OF REFRACTORY METALS AND ALLOYS OF TITANIUM FROM A OETALLIC BASED TOOL WITHOUT ATTACKING THE METAL BASE, SAID COMPOSITION BEING ACIDIC AND COMPRISING: ABOUT 0.7% TO ABOUT 17.5% BY WEIGHT OF A SOURCE OF FLUORIDE IONS CALCULATED AS HYDROFLUORIC ACID; FROM ABOUT 0.9% TO AOUT 22.5% BY WEIGHT OF COOH RADICAL PROVIDED BY A COOH SUPPLYING MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF MONO AND DICARBOXYLIC ACIDS OF 1 TO 6 CARBON ATOMS; ABOUT 49% TO ABOUT 24.97% BY WEIGHT OF A HYDROXYLATED CARBOXYLIC ACID SELECTED FROM THE GROUP OF HYDROXYLATED MONO, DI OR TRICARBOXYLIC ACIDS OF 1 TO 6 CARBON ATOMS AND CONTAINIG FROM 1 TO 5 HYDROXYL GROUPS, AND THE REMAINDER BEING WATER.

Claim 3

A composition for removing refractory metals, titanium and alloys of refractory metals and alloys of titanium from a metallic based tool without attacking the metal base, said composition being acidic and comprising: about 0.7% to about 17.5% by weight of a source of fluoride ions calculated as hydrofluoRic acid; from about 0.9% to about 22.5% by weight of COOH radical provided by a COOH supplying material selected from the group consisting of mono and dicarboxylic acids of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; about 49% to about 24.97% by weight of a hydroxylated carboxylic acid selected from the group of hydroxylated mono, di or tricarboxylic acids of 1 to 6 carbon atoms and containing from 1 to 5 hydroxyl groups, and the remainder being water.

Claim 4

A composition for removing refractory metals, titanium and alloys of refractory metals and alloys of titanium from a metallic based tool without attacking the metal base, said composition being acidic and comprising: about 0.7% to about 17.5% by weight of a source of fluoride ions calculated as hydrofluoRic acid; from about 0.9% to about 22.5% by weight of COOH radical provided by a COOH supplying material selected from the group consisting of mono and dicarboxylic acids of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; about 49% to about 24.97% by weight of a hydroxylated carboxylic acid selected from the group of hydroxylated mono, di or tricarboxylic acids of 1 to 6 carbon atoms and containing from 1 to 5 hydroxyl groups, and the remainder being water.

Claim 5

The composition of claim 1 wherein the source of fluoride ions is hydrofluoric acid.

Claim 6

The composition of claim 1 wherein a hydroxylated carboxylic acid selected from the group of hydroxylated mono, di or tricarboxylic acids of 1 to 6 carbon atoms and containing from 1 to 5 hydroxyl groups is in solution and the solution thereof constitutes substantially the remainder of the composition.

Claim 7

The composition of claim 1 including hydrofluoric acid as a source of fluoride ions; and wherein the source of COOH radical is selected from the group consisting of formic acid, oxalic acid and acetic acid, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 8

The composition of claim 1 wherein the hydroxylated carboxylic acid is gluconic acid.

Claim 9

A process for removing titanium, refractory metals, alloys of titanium, and alloys of refractory metals from metallic based tools comprising the steps of immersing a tool coated with refractory metal or alloy thereof in the composition of claim 1, and removing the tool from the solution after the coating has been dissolved by the composition without affecting the surface of the tool.