Chemical Etching of Cu98Be Alloy in Electrolyte Solutions

Abstract

The process of chemical etching of Cu98Be alloy in solutions of various compositions was investigated. The rate of etching of beryllium bronze in the investigated solutions was deter-mined, and its change in time was studied. The selectivity of dissolution of the components of Cu98Be during prolonged etching in solutions of different electrolytes was established. A possibility of achieving uniform etching of Cu98Be alloy by varying the composition of the etching solution was shown. The concentrations of metal ions in the used etching solutions were determined, and the capacity of those solutions was calculated. The compositions of solutions with a high capacity for both alloy components during prolonged etching was estab-lished. The optimal compositions of etching solutions providing high-quality etching of beryl-lium bronze according to several criteria such as: a high process rate, uniform dissolution of alloy components, high capacity for both alloy components were proposed. The morphology of the Cu98Be electrode surface after etching in solutions, providing uniform dissolution for both alloy components, was studied. The absence of surface passivation after chemical etch-ing in these solutions was shown. The chemical nature of the compounds formed in the form of small inclusions on the etched surface of the electrode was established. The obtained results are of great importance in practical use because they allow selecting the appropriate composition of the etching solution, which, in turn, helps to optimize the technological etching process.