AEROSPACE AMS 2485K

MATERIAL
Issued 1948-05
SPECIFICATION Revised 2008-01

Superseding AMS 2485J

Coating, Black Oxide

RATIONALE

AMS 2485K results from a Five Year Review and update of this specification.

1. SCOPE

1.1 Purpose

This specification covers the requirements for black oxide coatings on parts.

1.2 Application

This coating has been used typically to improve the anti-chafing and anti-friction properties of carbon and low-alloy steel
parts, particularly for sliding or bearing surfaces, by providing a finish coating that retains an oil film, but usage is not
limited to such applications.

1.3 Safety - Hazardous Materials

While the materials, methods, applications, and processes described or referenced in this specification may involve the
use of hazardous materials, this specification does not address the hazards which may be involved in such use. It is the
sole responsibility of the user to ensure familiarity with the safe and proper use of any hazardous materials and to take
necessary precautionary measures to ensure the health and safety of all personnel involved.

2. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

The issue of the following documents in effect on the date of the purchase order forms a part of this specification to the
extent specified herein. The supplier may work to a subsequent revision of a document unless a specific document issue
is specified. When the referenced document has been cancelled and no superseding document has been specified, the
last published issue of that document shall apply.

2.1 SAE Publications

Available from SAE International, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001, Tel: 877-606-7323 (inside
USA and Canada) or 724-776-4970 (outside USA), www.sae.org.

AS2390 Chemical Process Test Specimen Material

SAE Technical Standards Board Rules provide that: “This report is published by SAE to advance the state of technical and engineering sciences. The use of this report is entirely
voluntary, and its applicability and suitability for any particular use, including any patent infringement arising therefrom, is the sole responsibility of the user.”
SAE reviews each technical report at least every five years at which time it may be reaffirmed, revised, or cancelled. SAE invites your written comments and suggestions.
Copyright © 2008 SAE International
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of SAE.
TO PLACE A DOCUMENT ORDER: Tel: 877-606-7323 (inside USA and Canada)
Tel: 724-776-4970 (outside USA)
Fax: 724-776-0790
Email: CustomerService@sae.org
SAE WEB ADDRESS: http://www.sae.org
SAE AMS 2485K -2-

2.2 ASTM Publications

Available from ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, P.O. Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959,
Tel: 610-832-9585, www.astm.org.

ASTM G 46 Examination and Evaluation of Pitting Corrosion

3. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Preparation

3.1.1 The coating shall be applied to part surfaces free from water-breaks. The cleaning procedure shall not produce
pitting or intergranular attack of the basis metal and shall preserve dimensional requirements

3.1.2 Unless otherwise specified, steel parts 36 HRC or higher and which have been ground or cold worked after heat
treatment shall be stress relieved. Temperatures to which parts are heated shall be such that maximum stress
relief is obtained without reducing the hardness of the parts below engineering drawing limits, but unless
otherwise specified, not less than 275 °F (135 °C) for not less than four hours for parts with a hardness of 55
HRC or over, or not less than 375 °F (191 °C) for not less than four hours for all other parts. Black oxide is
commonly used on steel parts carburized, carbonitrided or induction hardened. These surface or case hardened
parts shall be stress relieved at a temperature of 275 °F (135 °C) or as specified by the cognizant engineering
activity.

3.2 Procedure

3.2.1 The cleaned parts, while still wet, shall be immersed in one or more boiling aqueous alkali oxidizing baths for
times and at temperatures which will produce coatings meeting the requirements of 3.3 and 3.4. See 8.3.

3.2.2 Coated parts shall be washed thoroughly in running tap water to remove all traces of processing solution and
salts. Parts shall not be allowed to dry during the entire sequence of operations until completion of this rinse.

3.2.3 Parts shall be thoroughly dried unless a water-displacing oil is used in 3.2.4, in which case complete drying may
be omitted.

3.2.4 Parts shall be dipped in a suitable corrosion-preventative oil.

3.3 Properties

Coated parts shall conform to the following requirements:

3.3.1 Smut Test

Coatings on parts before oiling as in 3.2.4, or on oiled parts after degreasing, shall show no indications of reddish-brown
or green smut when wiped with a clean, white cloth.

3.3.2 Dimensional Change

When determined using a micrometer accurate to 0.0001 inch (2.5 mm), no dimensional change shall result from
processing.
SAE AMS 2485K -3-

3.3.3 Oxalic Acid Spot Test

The coating, prior to application of corrosion preventative oil, shall be tested as follows. Clean, dry coated parts or
specimens of the same composition and heat treat condition as the parts and processed with the parts represented shall
be handled with clean gloves. Each sample shall have deposited three drops of a 5% (approximately) solution of oxalic
acid on a flat surface. Permit the accompanying reaction to continue for not less than eight minutes, followed by rinsing in
cool water and drying. When examined, the area which was directly under the acid test solution drops shall exhibit a black
or dark brown center with a light border. Areas under the drop, which exhibit a gray center and lighter border are marginal
coatings and are not acceptable.

3.3.4 Surface and Intergranular Attack

The cleaning and coating process shall not result in any surface pitting, as determined by ASTM G 46 and intergranular
attack, determined on metallographically-prepared cross-sections examined unetched at 400X to 500X magnification.

3.4 Quality

Except as otherwise specified herein, the coating on polished surfaces shall be a uniformly lustrous black. Coating on
other surfaces shall be black or dark gray in color, uniform on areas of equivalent surface roughness. Coating on all types
of surfaces shall be free of spots of red oxide or an overall reddish-brown color but an overall reddish-brown cast on a
basically black color is permissible. Coating shall be continuous, smooth, dense, and adherent and shall not rub off under
any conditions incident to normal handling or storage.

4. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS

4.1 Responsibility for Inspection

The processor of coated parts shall supply all samples for processor’s tests and shall be responsible for the performance
of all required tests. Parts if required for tests shall be supplied by purchaser. Purchaser reserves the right to sample and
to perform any confirmatory testing deemed necessary to ensure that processing conforms to specified requirements.

4.2 Classification of Tests

4.2.1 Acceptance Tests

Smut test (3.3.1), oxalic acid spot test (3.3.3), and quality (3.4) are acceptance tests and shall be performed on parts, or
samples representing parts when permitted by cognizant engineering organization, from each lot.

4.2.2 Periodic Tests

Surface and intergranular attack (3.3.4) when parts 36 HRC or higher are processed are periodic tests and shall be
performed monthly unless frequency of testing is specified by the cognizant engineering organization. Tests of cleaning
and coating baths are periodic tests and shall be performed at a frequency established by the processor unless frequency
of testing is specified by the cognizant engineering organization. See 4.4.3 and 8.2.

4.2.3 All property verification tests (section 3.3) are preproduction tests and shall be performed prior to production or on
the initial shipment of coated parts to a purchaser, and when the cognizant engineering organization requires
confirmatory testing.

4.3 Sampling and testing shall be not less than the following; a lot shall be all parts made of the same material, heat
treated to the same hardness or tensile strength level, processed in the same solution(s) in not longer than eight
consecutive hours, and presented for processor’s inspection at one time. Parts for tests shall be selected randomly
from all parts in the lot.

4.3.1 Acceptance tests shall be as shown in Table 1.

SAE AMS 2485K -4-

TABLE 1 - SAMPLING FOR ACCEPTANCE TESTS

Lot Size Quality Smut Test Oxalic Acid Spot Test
Up to 7 All All or 3* 1
7 to 15 7 4 1
16 to 40 10 4 1
41 to 110 15 5 2
111 to 300 25 6 3
301 to 500 35 7 4
Over 500 50 8 5
*Whichever is less

4.3.1.1 Periodic Tests

Sample quantity shall be selected at the discretion of the processor unless otherwise specified by the cognizant
engineering organization. As a minimum, one sample shall be tested for all periodic tests.

4.3.2 When coated parts are of such configuration or size as to not be readily adaptable to specified tests or when
nondestructive testing is not practical on actual parts, or when it is not economically acceptable to perform
destructive tests on actual parts, separate specimens of the same class of alloy and heat treat condition as the
parts represented, cleaned and coated with the parts represents may be used.

4.4 Approval

4.4.1 The process and control factors, a preproduction part, or both, whichever is specified, shall be approved by the
cognizant engineering organization before production parts are supplied.

4.4.2 If the processor makes a significant change to any material, process or control factor from that which was used
for process approval, all preproduction tests shall be performed and the results submitted to the cognizant
engineering organization for process reapproval unless the change is approved by the cognizant engineering
organization. A significant change is one which in the judgment of the cognizant engineering organization could
affect the properties or performance of the parts.

4.4.3 Controls factors shall include, but not be limited to the following:

Cleaning method
Material designation and supplier
Corrosion preventive oil used
Periodic test plan for cleaning and processing solutions. See 8.2.

4.5 Reports

The processor of coated parts shall furnish with each shipment a report stating that the parts have been processed and
tested in accordance with the specified requirements and that they conform to the acceptance test requirements. This
report shall include the purchase order number, lot number, AMS 2485K, part number, and quantity.

4.6 Resampling and Retesting

4.6.1 If any acceptance test fails to meet specified test requirements, the parts in that lot may be stripped, recoated and
retested. Alternatively, all parts in the lot may be inspected for the nonconforming attribute, and the
nonconforming parts may be stripped, recoated, and retested.

4.6.1.1 When stripping is performed, the method shall be acceptable to the cognizant engineering organization and
shall not roughen, pit, or embrittle the basis metal or adversely affect part dimensions. When parts have been
stripped and recoated, the purchaser shall be informed.
SAE AMS 2485K -5-

4.6.2 If any periodic test fails to meet specified test requirements, the process is nonconforming. No additional parts
shall be coated until the process is corrected and new specimens are coated and tested. Results of all tests shall
be recorded and, when requested, reported. Purchaser shall be notified of all parts coated since the last
acceptable periodic test.

5. PREPARATION FOR DELIVERY

5.1 Coated parts shall be handled and packaged to ensure that the required properties of the coating are preserved.

5.2 Packages of coated parts shall be prepared for shipment in accordance with commercial practice and in
compliance with applicable rules and regulations pertaining to the handling, packaging, and transportation of the
parts to ensure carrier acceptance and safe delivery.

6. ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Processor shall mention AMS 2485K in all quotations and when acknowledging purchase orders.

7. REJECTIONS

Coated parts on which the coating does not conform to this specification, or to modifications authorized by purchaser, will
be subject to rejection.

8. NOTES

8.1 A change bar (|) located in the left margin is for the convenience of the user in locating areas where technical
revisions, not editorial changes, have been made to the previous issue of a specification. An (R) symbol to the left
of the document title indicates a complete revision of the specification. Change bars and (R) are not used in original
publications, nor in specifications that contain editorial changes only.

8.2 ARP4992, Periodic Test Plan for Process Solutions, is recommended to satisfy requirements for control of
processing solutions.

8.3 No specific composition is given for the black oxide processing bath. The intensity of the black color is dependent
on the time of immersion, the temperature of the bath, and the concentrations of the bath ingredients. Typical black
oxide baths consist of sodium hydroxide with additions of oxidizers and inhibitors, the composition being adjusted to
maintain a selected boiling temperature in the range of 250 to 310 °F (121 to 154 °C). Immersion times range from
5 to 60 minutes. Composition is generally adjusted to maintain the selected boiling temperature. In some cases, a
two tank treatment is used, each with different processing conditions, but each essentially as described above.

8.4 The appearance of the coating is affected by the composition, condition, and surface finish of the basis material.

8.5 Precaution

Assemblies containing parts made of metals other than steel or iron alloys should not be processed unless surfaces of
such parts are masked or unless solutions contain agents which prevent deterioration of the solution(s) and allowance is
made, where necessary, for removal of attacked areas.

8.5.1 By its nature, black oxide is an aggressive chemical process. Stress corrosion cracking can occur on parts with
high residual tensile surface stresses and can produce intergranular cracking. This type of cracking has in the
past been described as “caustic metal embrittlement” although no hydrogen failure mechanism has been
demonstrated. Prevention of stress corrosion cracking involves tight control of the bath chemistry and processing
parameters, the reduction or elimination of pre-existing residual tensile stresses via stress relief, and process
control periodic testing for surface and intergranular attack.

8.6 Terms used in AMS are clarified in ARP1917.

SAE AMS 2485K -6-

8.7 Dimensions and properties in inch/pound units and the Fahrenheit temperatures are primary; dimensions and
properties in SI units and the Celsius temperatures are shown as the approximate equivalents of the primary units
and are presented only for information

8.8 Purchase documents should specify not less than the following:

AMS 2485K
Quantity of pieces to be coated
Basis material of parts
Hardness of parts to be coated.

PREPARED BY AMS COMMITTEE "B"