WHAT IS ANODIZING?

ANODIZING IS A HIGHLY CONTROLLED ELECTROCHEMICAL PROCESS THAT GREATLY ENHANCES THE NATURALLY OCCURRING OXIDIZATION PHENOMENON ON MANY NONFERROUS METALS. SIMILAR TO HOW STEEL RUSTS, ALUMINUM ALSO GOES THROUGH A NATURAL OXIDIZATION PROCESS AS IT AGES. ALUMINUM OXIDE HOWEVER IS CLEAR WHEN NEWLY FORMED AND WILL CLOUD OVER TIME, ITS WHY OLDER ALUMINUM SEEMS DULL WHEN COMPARED TO NEWER ALUMINUM.

TO ACHIEVE ANODIZING THE ALUMINUM PARTS ARE SUBMERGED INTO A SULFURIC ACID ELECTROLYTE BATH. THE SUBMERGED ALUMINUM PARTS ACT AS THE ANODE FOR THE ELECTROLYSIS PROCESS WITH LEAD PLATES WHICH ARE ALSO SUBMERGED IN THE BATH) ACTING AS THE CATHODE. ELECTRICAL CURRENT IS THEN APPLIED THROUGH THE ALUMINUM PARTS, ELECTROLYTE BATH AND LEAD PLATES RELEASING THE OXYGEN IONS FROM THE ELECTROLYTE WHICH IN TURN COMBINE WITH THE ALUMINUM ATOMS AT THE PART SURFACE.

THIS PROCESS GROWS THE OXIDE DIRECTLY FROM THE SUBSTRATE AND IS FULLY INTEGRATED TO THE ALUMINUM. UNLIKE PAINTING OR PLATING IT CANNOT CHIP OR PEEL AND IS A MUCH MORE DURABLE SURFACE THAN THE ALUMINUM ITSELF.

IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT ALUMINUM OXIDE UNDER A MICROSCOPE, YOU'D SEE A HIGHLY ORDERED ALMOST HONEYCOMB LIKE STRUCTURE. ESSENTIALLY TINY TUBES STANDING UPRIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER. THESE TINY TUBES CAN THEN BE FILLED WITH COLORED DYES AND SEALED OFF GIVING US AMAZING, ALMOST TRANSLUCENT COLORED PARTS.