
Jan 7, 2012
Is electropolishing actually necessary given that a 1.0 or greater Cr/Fe ratio can be achieved by passivation alone? The real question is, “Are we trying to only passivate the surface or are we trying to produce a corrosion resistant cleanable surface?” Chemical passivation will attain a chrome to iron ratio above 1.0 (Cr/Fe), without producing any measureable change in the finish characteristics of the surface. Electropolishing is designed to remove surface damage from mechanical polishing and produce a more cleanable, featureless, smooth surface finish. The need to electropolish a surface is dependent upon...