Patent ID: 6059951
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: B29B,B29C,B29K,B29L,C25D,D07B,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A process for making a surface-treated steel wire, adapted for use in composite elements of elastomeric material, comprising the steps of:immersing the wire in an electrolytic bath containing cobalt sulfate and zinc sulfate, for carrying out a deposition of a zinc/cobalt alloy on the outer surface of the treated wire, said alloy having a cobalt content effective to promote adhesion, said alloy having an overall cobalt content lower than 1% and said alloy having an absence of copper,wherein said deposition is an electrodeposition in which a cathodic current is applied to the wire during said immersing step to provide said wire with an outermost surface coating layer,in which in said surface coating layer the cobalt is distributed in an uneven manner in two different concentration levels, with a first level between 1% and 3% at a radially inner area directly in contact with the steel wire and a second level lower than 0.5% in a radially outer area overlying the first level.