Abstract
This paper presents electrochemical etching characteristics of shape memory alloy (SMA) using new electrolytes of inorganic salt in alcohol, in comparison with conventional H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/-methanol solution. Pattern etching of SMA sheets could be carried out in the electrolyte solutions using LiCl and NH/sub 4/Cl. Especially in the case of the 1 mol/l LiCl-ethanol, good etching properties such as controllable low etch rate, uniform etching depth and flat etched surface were obtained. The etch factor (= etching depth / side etching width) was 1.5 in 1 mol/l LiCl-ethanol and 2.0 in 0.1 mol/l LiCl-ethanol. Throughout etching could be carried out by using a backside dummy metal. This etching technique has been applied to the micromachining of SMA sheet and SMA pipe for fabrication of actuators.
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