No more sandaper - use electricity to polish metals. Electropolishing: how to use and therory

Рет қаралды 33,664

2 жыл бұрын

In this vieo I talk about a 70-year old technique of electropolishing. I discuss the way to polish complex shapes of stainless (iron and nickel alloys).
The first time I took a research paper, selected the simplest method and it worked.
You could read a few papers on more complehensive methods and therory below:
(review, mainly methods) www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/13/11/...
(comprehensive theory) www.researchgate.net/publicat...

Пікірлер: 48

@bulwynkl Жыл бұрын

This was my favourite technique fro preparing aluminium sampels for metallography in my mat eng course - few % nitric in ethanol, a few volts, couple of minutes! done!

@buundy 2 жыл бұрын

Very useful video, scientific, easily understandable.

@TehPwnerer Жыл бұрын

The electric field is stronger at sharp ends so in those spots the ionization is faster evening it out

@joshuajenkins Жыл бұрын

Nice video. Better than most websites I can find. I've been playing around with polishing some screws and washers. It's hard to get consistent results. Often the surface looks bright but under a microscope it becomes quite bumpy.

@is_it_science Жыл бұрын

Thanks. The results also depend on on the way the part is connected to the power source, its geometry and many more

@vision3690 4 ай бұрын

@@is_it_science it is very hard for me to get good results. I achieve more a matt finish, not shiny. I only have 12v supply 7.5 A and 5V with 1, 2 or 3 A. I think it depends a lot of the size from the workpiece. I have better results putting like eight rings on one go and not just one.

@vision3690 4 ай бұрын

thank you for this valuable info

@dgalvarez 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the video and data. I'll try

@DanteEhome 7 ай бұрын

Isn't this just electroplating but in reverse?

@klausbrinck2137 4 ай бұрын

Greatly done...!!!

@sudhirgouti5431 2 жыл бұрын

This video is very good. Can you guide how to electro polish gold Which acid work for the process and what type of rectifier is need and power

@user-kx5qx9bg8x 2 жыл бұрын

very usefull video٫ tnx i have one question. for gold electropolishing wiych acid needs?

@Raul28153 7 ай бұрын

nice video thanks

@thaibui5911 Жыл бұрын

if used for metal gold or silver... how do we use it? thanks

@cuforming 2 жыл бұрын

That's amazing. Does it work for copper with the same concentrations?

@is_it_science Жыл бұрын

Likely but you need some experimentaion

@cuforming Жыл бұрын

@@is_it_science I'm willing to try it. Thank you!

@noname-ct2zz 21 күн бұрын

how do you clean the pieces after acid bathing? I mean after the electropolishing process how do you remove the acid from the pieces? just with water?

@sagarmalhotra3155 Жыл бұрын

hello sir ... is there any method for polishing gold objects ..?? please help

@is_it_science Жыл бұрын

Eeeh. You are welcome to send me your pieces ... for a trial. You know, they could get dissolved... If serious, the same method shall work ok. Yet, beware that idem geometry could make polishing non-uniform.

@klausbrinck2137 4 ай бұрын

@@is_it_science ;-) ;-) ;-)

@smilegardendentalclinicort5079 Жыл бұрын

fumes (burning of sample is there while doing electro polishing ,,...what is the reason

@is_it_science Жыл бұрын

The fumes are mostly electrolysis products - hydrogen and oxygen. Plus some dropets of sweet-sweet concentrated acid drifting with them...

@JohnDoe-rx3vn 5 ай бұрын

Would you also be required to strategically place electrodes inside diameters?

@is_it_science 4 ай бұрын

Somewhat. In my experience, sizing and positioning may be important but margins for errors are huge. Just give it a try.

@gitcover 3 ай бұрын

sulfuric acid can't be purchased in EU, is there any alternative to it?

@is_it_science 3 ай бұрын

You can buy it - it just need a bit of hassle and paperwork. It is not hard at all. Regarding the alternatives, please read the review in the video description. I haven't tried these though...

@FratDede Жыл бұрын

25A / dm2 is looks like very high. Is it not typo error isnt?

@is_it_science Жыл бұрын

Nope - it does need a lot of current. You may get away with less, but current is high

@paulb9769 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Can the acid be reused?

@muzzarobbo 2 жыл бұрын

i am also interested how often you would need to replace the solution in a small production environment (making ss bicycle racks)

@RobinDobbie Жыл бұрын

@@muzzarobbo Can I guess that you ended up just getting an abrasive vibration tumbler?

@NOBOX7 Жыл бұрын

I will tell you a secret , 5:4:1 ... the 1 is Glycerol th 4 sulfuric and the 5 h3po4

@dogodogo5891 Жыл бұрын

can i use citric acid as pshopirc acid substitute?

@hellkell8693 9 ай бұрын

@@dogodogo5891did you find out?

@Fahadali-sk1tz 4 күн бұрын

Its work for gold

@josephburdell2041 Жыл бұрын

I think ALOT is lost in translation from Russian to English

@is_it_science Жыл бұрын

Thanks. How should I have done it better - what is missing?

@dmitriykolevatov7102 Жыл бұрын

@@is_it_science Думаю большинству не русскоговорящих помогли бы субтитры. А так видос очень полезный, спасибо.

@klausbrinck2137 4 ай бұрын

@@is_it_science Nothing is missing, sometimes you speak too low, that some words are far too silent, that one has to stop, raise the volume, go back and listen again, but else, you´re perfectly understandable, despite your english not being perfect. Your video is very structured, but not structured enough for a beginner like me. Some hints in the timeline, suggesting that the next chapter begins, and naming the chapters of the video (in the timeline and the video itself, with some name-card appearing), would make it even better...

@Jkauppa Жыл бұрын

or just dip into dilute KOH or H2SO4 water

@is_it_science Жыл бұрын

No - KOH for stailness would not work. H2SO4 would not dissolve it either. And it you had something soluble, that would not polish it - only dissolve and make as rough as it was.

@Jkauppa Жыл бұрын

@@is_it_science what? Fe + H2SO4 -> H2 + FeSO4, and KOH will nicely etch stuff away, where do you get your knowledge?

@Jkauppa Жыл бұрын

@@is_it_science I think you are biased to your method judgement

@is_it_science Жыл бұрын

@@Jkauppa I most definitely biassed. Yet, there are some matters I claim some knowledge about...

@Jkauppa Жыл бұрын

@@is_it_science dont claim, I dont acknowledge it