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-----Electropolishing of nitrided steel
Q. What should be the electrolyte for electropolishing of plasma nitrided parts (En41B steel) to improve the surface finish? Can we use the general electrolytes used for alloy steel (perchloric acid + acetic acid ⇦ on eBay or Amazon [affil link] combination) for this nitrided steel also?
K.ChandrasekaranMetallurgist - Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India
2004
!! I can only warn that perchloric acid should not be used in anything larger than a very small beaker [beakers on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil link] , and then only by a highly trained & skilled chemist in a laboratory. Some experts feel that even that use should be prohibited. Either way, it's absolutely not for "parts".
The worst accident in the history of the metal finishing industry, which killed 15 people, left 2 missing (probably vaporized), injured over 150 people, and leveled 4 city blocks, involved electropolishing with perchloric acid. Don't do it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyA9u-mnQTw
Ted Mooney, P.E.
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!! Acetic acid is an organic. Perchloric acid is an oxidizer. If you get the portions and conditions correct, you have a bomb.
James Watts- Navarre, Florida
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