Electropolishing of Passive Materials in HF-Free Low Viscosity Aqueous Electrolytes

Abstract

A pulse reverse electrochemical surface finishing process for electropolishing passive materials is described. Unlike conventional electrochemical surface finishing processes, the pulse reverse process does not require low conductivity/high viscosity electrolytes and does not require the addition of chemical species to remove the passive film associated with electropolishing of passive and strongly passive materials. This paper focuses on pulse/pulse reverse electropolishing of niobium.