Electropolishing Tungsten Carbide: Cautionary, Useful Notes

Summary for electropolishing tungsten carbide Discussion

Electropolishing of tungsten carbide is the central question here: Gaurav Jain asked whether precise WC parts with nickel- or cobalt-binder could be electropolished to replace final lapping, since his parts already meet tolerance and only need better surface finish. He reported that small trials with NaOH electrolyte leached tungsten and left a dark, dull, carbon-like surface. No direct process solution was given in the thread, but the response noted that this kind of leaching complaint seems common. The reply also asked for more detailed public information about the exact process and results, rather than private contact, and mentioned that a quick literature search found several technical articles on the subject, though they were behind paywalls. Overall, the discussion suggests that electropolishing tungsten carbide is not straightforward and may produce undesirable surface attack unless a suitable, well-documented method is found.