Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!

Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!

  • Congratulations cowski on being selected by the Eng-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

Factors responsible for diminishing quality of the final finish when electropolishing bath sludges

Status
Not open for further replies.

BVKrish

Materials
Joined
May 15, 2019
Messages
15
Location
CA
Hello all,

What are the main factors responsible for the diminishing quality of the final finish when the electropolishing bath begins to sludge?

Thanks.

 
If sludge is visible in the bottom of the bath then it is also floating around in the bath.
Which also means that it is settling on the surface that you are trying to polish.
This interferes with the current distribution and there fore the uniformity of the polish.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube
 
One issue with these baths (and pickle as well) is that it isn't just the composition but also the oxidation state of those constituents.
Sometimes when baths form sludge or 'go dead' it because the chemistry shifted just enough for oxidation states to change. In some cases there are additives to address this.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube
 
Thanks, Everyone,

I could understand that as the bath is operated, there is an increase in the metal concentration, specific gravity and the electrical resistance of the electrolyte.
Moreover, the acidity of the electrolyte decreases and oxidizers or additives are consumed.
In addition, the water too is lost by evaporation and electrolysis.

So, which among these factors would be contributing more towards the decrease in the electropolishing quality?

Thanks.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor

Back
Top