Wanting More From Your Passivation Chemistries?
JAYCO Citrapass series offers several distinct advantages over CitriSurf®, making it a superior choice for various applications.
- reduces passivation time
- improves maximum depth of enrichment
- reduces rinse-water consumption through improved rinsing techniques
- optimized for use with ultrasonics
- excellent chromium oxide ratios
- Are you scrambling for cleaning products that are readily available?
- Do you feel frustrated by ineffective cleaning solutions that waste time, money and resources?
- Do you want innovative cleaning solutions that won’t break your budget?
If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, you’re in the right place.
Why Passivation?
For industrial and commercial applications requiring long life, high corrosion resistance, and superb mechanical performance, stainless steel alloys are the materials of choice. These alloys derive their name from their high chromium and low carbon contents, making them very resistant to “staining” (thus, stainless) or corroding even in aggressive environments.
In professional uses, stainless steels are most often supplied in austenitic alloy groups referred to as the 200 and 300 series. The 200 and 300 series are chromium-nickel alloys, non-magnetic, and often produced with advanced nitrogen-addition processes that further enhance their corrosion resistance. Most notably, alloy Types 304 and 316 make up the vast majority of stainless steel equipment, vessels, instruments, utensils, structures, and hardware used in hygienic and otherwise harsh conditions.
The chromium content within stainless steel materials naturally reacts with airborne oxygen in a very curious way. Chemically-speaking, chromium is a reducing agent which reacts with oxygen as an oxidizing agent in ambient conditions, together producing chromium oxide molecules on the surface of the chromium-containing body. (Reaction formula 4Cr + 3O2 → 2Cr2O3).
This chromium oxide film slowly develops without any other catalyst, and once complete, provides a fully unreactive or “passive” layer protecting the stainless steel material underneath. At only a few molecules in thickness and completely invisible to the naked eye, this passive layer inhibits contact between the stainless steel surface and foreign objects – especially those that tend to lead to corrosion, such as oxygen and moisture.
5 Benefits of Citric Passivation
Citric Passivation vs Nitric Passivation: Key Differences
Unmatched Performance
Long bath life with consistent, effective results from your first batch to your 100th
Wide Range of Products
Meeting precision cleaning requirements in medical, optics, industrial and more
Unique Capabilities
Our experience with building cleaning equipment guides our chemistry development
The Right Finishing and Cleaning Solutions for Your Processes
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Spray Cleaning
Whether for industrial or medical applications, our detergents and passivation solutions provide superior results.
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Ultrasonic/Immersion
Designed for excellent cavitation, JAYCO medical, optics and industrial cleaning supplies are highly concentrated and offer outstanding rinsability.
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VIbratory Tumbling
Degreasing, deburring, polishing and accelerated surface finishing: There’s a JAYCO cleaning solution for every need.
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Rust Preventative
High-performance corrosion inhibitors provide reliable protection temporarily or for longer periods of time.
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Maintenance Cleaning
Choose a general cleaner, floor cleaner or defoamer for a variety of applications

We Understand Your Industry
We understand that ineffective optics, medical and industrial cleaning solutions could be affecting your productivity – and ultimately your bottom line and reputation. You need cleaning and mass-finishing solutions that allow you to meet strict standards with minimal processing time. You can trust JAYCO to deliver the clean you need in a wide array of industries. We care about our customers and it shows in our reduced use of hazardous and toxic substances and solvents. Get powerful results you can depend on.
Citric vs Nitric Passivation
What are we looking for in a passivation chemical? Three things:
- Works fast – we want to limit reaction time and get the parts through production
- Must be effective – we want the highest reasonable likelihood that the new passive layer is formed
- Must be manageable – industrial chemicals tend to have risks associated with their use, so we want a solution that does not cause undue risks or hazards
As so many things go, the market provides multiple options offering a different mix of benefits across the above listed items. The two most common options available today are Nitric Acid and Citric Acid, each with their own distinct upsides and downsides.
What's the real cost of using ineffective chemistries?
Between today’s supply chain challenges and tight labor market, you can’t afford inefficient processes or rework. Your reputation and profitability rely on the highest efficacy in precision cleaning.
Not having proven solutions designed for today’s cleaning and mass finishing operations could be costing you a great deal.