ALUMINUM ALLOY PRETREATMENT WITH PHOSPHORUS- CONTAINING ORGANIC ACIDS FOR SURFACE MODIFICATION

Described are techniques for making aluminum alloy products and methods for pre-treating aluminum alloys with small molecules, and the resultant aluminum alloy products, in which small molecules including phosphorus-containing organic acid functionality, such as organo-phos-phonic acids, are applied to a surface of an aluminum alloy product to generate a self-assembled monolayer or multilayer of small molecules on the surface of the aluminum alloy product. Mixtures of different phosphorus-containing organic acids may be employed. At least some of the phospho-ms-containing organic acids may exhibit a hydrophilic character, such as by including one or more hydrophilic functional groups. The self-assembled monolayer or multilayer including hydrophilic functionality may advantageously allow the aluminum alloy product to have a good wettability by water and other hydrophilic substances, such as some epoxy adhesives, but also to have a good wet-tability by hydrophobic substances, such as some lubricants.