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Etchant to remove steel tubing from aluminum structure

Have an application requiring steel tubing be cast-in an aluminum structure for cooling passages. The steel tubing needs to be removed for CTE issue. Is there an etchant that will remove the carbon or stainless steel tubing but not harm the A-356 aluminum?

Bruce Chisholm
machine component design - Orlando, FL, US
2003

Nitric Acid will dissolve carbon steel readily (and also martensitic stainless series 400 though slowly) without significant attack on aluminum. Nitric is toxic, fuming and very aggressive to all forms of life, so extreme care should be taken. Disposal of waste according to local regulation after neutralization is mandatory.

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
2003

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