ASTM International Standard Practice for Descaling and Cleaning Zirconium and Zirconium Alloy Surfaces ASTM B614-10

This practice covers a cleaning and de-scaling procedure useful to producers, users, and fabricators of zirconium and zirconium alloys for the removal of ordinary shop soils, oxides, and scales resulting from heat treatment operations and foreign substances present as surface contaminants. Grease, oil, and lubricants employed in machining, forming, and fabricating operations on zirconium and zirconium alloys should be removed by employing one of the methods or a combination of methods: alkaline or emulsion soak-type cleaners, ultrasonic cleaning, acetone, citrus based cleaners, or safety solvent immersion washing or vapor degreasing, or electrolytic alkaline cleaning system. Mechanical de-scaling methods such as sandblasting, shot blasting, and vapor blasting may be used to remove hot work scales and lubricants from zirconium surfaces if followed by thorough conditioning and cleaning. Aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, silica sand, zircon sand, and steel grit are acceptable media for mechanical de-scaling. Recommended post treatment of shot or abrasive blasted zirconium surfaces may include acid pickling to ensure complete removal of metallic iron, oxide, scale, and other surface contaminants. Visual inspection of material cleaned in accordance with this practice should show no evidence of paint, oil, grease, glass, graphite, lubricant, scale, abrasive, iron, or other forms of contamination.