Patent ID: 7575623

Claim:
Method of treating aluminium-metal alloys with organic or inorganic bases, said method comprising subjecting a starting aluminium-metal alloy to a leaching process comprising exposing a reaction mixture comprising dispersed particles of the starting alloy to an aqueous solution of an organic or inorganic base in a reactor, optionally under an inert gas atmosphere, to produce a treated alloy material, removing the aqueous base and washing the treated alloy material, wherein during a time that the starting alloy is exposed to the base the leaching process is monitored for a difference in potential between a measuring electrode (pick-up electrode), which is immersed in the solution, and a reference electrode and the process is terminated when a specified difference in potential is reached, and wherein the reaction mixture is stirred during the leaching process to bring the alloy particles into frequent contact with the pick-up electrode in order to change the potential of the pick-up electrode in the direction of equalization with the potential of the alloy particles.