Material Composition Solution Conditions Comment Ag pure Sulfuric 6%; Acetic 6%; Methanol 88%; Thiorea Cyanide Solution 12 gms 25C, 10V, 18mA Slightly etched Al Alloy 1100 Perchloric 93%; Sulfuric 6%; Hydrofluoric 1% -25C, 15V Must keep below -25C Al Alloy 1100 Nitric 10%; Methanol 90% -10C, 10V, 200mA   Al Alloy 2024 Nitric 10%; Methanol 90% -10C, 10V, 200mA   Al Alloy 5052 Nitric 10%; Methanol 90% -10C, 10V, 200mA   Al Alloy 6061 Nitric 10%; Methanol 90% -10C, 10V, 200mA   Al powder Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 15%; Methanol 80% 8C, 30V, 50mA   Al pure Perchloric 10%; Ethanol 90% 0C, 7V, 80mA Excellent result, retains precipitates Al   Nitric 20-25%; Methanol 75-80%   Add LN2 to electrolyte until ice forms. Begin polishing as soon as it reliquefies. Al Ag Ag 5-25% Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -30C, 8V, 40mA   Al Be As Cast 50% Nitric 10%; Methanol 90% -15C, 10V, 200mA   Al Be As Cast 90% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 20%; Methanol 75% 8C, 35V   Al Be Be 0.5-30% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 20%; Methanol 75% 8C, 17V, 100mA For higher Be concentrations, use higher voltage. Al Be Ti Be 1-30%, Ti 1-10% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 20%; Methanol 75% 8C, 20V, 80mA   Al Be Ti Be 7%, Ti 2% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 20%; Methanol 75% 8C, 50V, 80mA   Al Cu Cu 4% Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -30C, 9V, 10mA Very good result Al Cu Cu 4% Sulfuric 20%; Methanol 80% 5C, 40V, 50mA Excellent result Al Cu   Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -30C to -50C   Al Cu Ti Alloy 2000 series Nitric 25%; Methanol 75%; Hydrofluoric (1-5 drops) -20C If oxide film is present, it may be removed by dipping specimen in solution of 16 grams Chromic Acid,  35 cc Phosphoric Acid, 65 cc Distilled H20 for 5 to 10 minutes at room temperature. Al Cu Ti Alloy 2219 Perchloric 20%; Ethanol 80% -30C, 35V, 100mA Fast electrolyte flow needed. Sample must be removed from holder as quickly as possible and rinsed in three beakers of ethanol to prevent oxide film. Al Ge   Perchloric 10%; Glycerol 20%; Methanol 70% -10C, 18V, 60mA   Al Li Li 2-3% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 20%; Methanol 75% 8C, 15V, 40mA   Al Mg Mg 3% Perchloric 10%; Butoxyethanol 20%; Methanol 70%     Al Mn Mn 3-25% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 20%; Methanol 75% 8C, 25V, 125mA Very brittle, good polish Al Mn S Mn 33%, S 3% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 20%; Methanol 75% 8C, 25V, 125mA Very brittle, good polish Al Ni Ni 20-80% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 20%; Methanol 75% 5C, 37V, 50mA Very good, small change in voltage with composition. Al Si Si 0.2% Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -22C, 12.5V, 30mA   Al Si Si 6% Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -5C, 20V, 200mA   Al Ti Ti 30-50% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 15%; Methanol 80% 0C, 55V, 40mA   Al Ti Ti 50% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 15%; Methanol 80% 0C, 25V, 40mA Very good Au Fe Fe 25% Hydrochloric 6%; Sulfuric 6%; H20 88% 25C, 10V, 60mA   Be pure Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 15%; Methanol 80% 0C, 30V, 40mA Slight etch with respect to orientation Be Ti Ti 12% Sulfuric 20%; Methanol 80% -10C, 25V, 60mA   Be Ti Ti 2% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 15%; Methanol 80% 0C, 55V 40mA   Be V V 50% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 15%; Methanol 80% 0C, 55V, 40mA   Bi2Te3   Tartaric 2%; Sodium Hydroxide 9%; H2O 89%     Cd   Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -30C, 7v, 180 mA   Co various alloys Perchloric 20%; Acetic 80%     Co Fe Fe 5-8% Perchloric 25%; Acetic 75% 25C, 20V, 80mA   Co Ni   Perchloric 25%; Acetic 75% -30C, 25V   Co Ni   Perchloric 10%; Acetic 90% 80V   Cu pure Nitric 10%; Methanol 90% -18C, 20V, 40mA   Cu various alloys Phosphoric 30%; H2O 70%   Increase voltage until bubbles form on specimen surface, then reduce voltage until bubbles just disappear. Cu   Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -30C to -50C   Cu Au Au 50% Nitric 30%; Methanol 70% -25C, 20V   Cu Be Be 10% Nitric 10%; Methanol 90% -15C, 55V, 80mA   Cu Be   Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -30C to -50C   Cu Be Co   Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -50C, 65mA Fast electrolyte flow needed. Rinse in methanol. Surface may oxidize rapidly. Cu Cr Cr 3.8% Nitric 10%; Methanol 90% 0C, 35V, >100mA Good result, slight etching at the grain boundaries. Cu CuO CuO <5% Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -35C, <8V, 200mA   Cu Fe Fe 30% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 15%; Methanol 80% -20C, 25V   Cu Ni Sn Single Crystal Nitric 10%; Methanol 90% -10C, 20V, 45mA   Cu Ni Sn Spinodal Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -30C, 20V, 80mA   Cu Pd Pd 30-50% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 35%; Methanol 60% 0C, 40V, 200mA   Cu Si   Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -50C, 65mA Fast electrolyte flow needed. Rinse in methanol. Surface may oxidize rapidly. Cu Ti Ti 1.6% Nitric 15%; Methanol 85%     Cu Ti   Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -30C to -50C   Discaloy gamma Perchloric 20%; Acetic 80% 25C, 5V, 30-45mA Use low electrolyte flow Discaloy   Perchloric 20%; Methanol 80% -30C, 5V, 30-45mA Use low electrolyte flow Fe pure Perchloric 10%; Acetic 90% 15C, 30V, 30mA   Fe various alloys Perchloric 10%; Acetic 90%     Fe   Chromic 50%; Acetic 50% 27V   Fe AI C   Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 35%; Methanol 60% -20C, 15V   Fe AI O Al <1%; O <1% Perchloric 10%; Acetic 90% 20C, 35-40V, 30mA Good result Fe Al   Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -30C to -50C   Fe Be Be 25% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 35%; Methanol 60% 10C, 15V   Fe C C <1% Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -10C, 10V   Fe Cr Cr 40% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 15%; Methanol 80% 0C, 30V, 65mA   Fe Cr Cr 46% Perchloric 10%; Acetic 90% 0C, 30V   Fe Cu Cu 0.3% Perchloric 33%; Acetic 33%; Butoxyethanol 34%     Fe MnS MnS 2-5% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 15%; Methanol 80% 10C, 20-30V, 200mA   Fe Ni Ni 35% Perchloric 10%; Methanol 90% 15C, 25V, 80mA Slightly etched Fe Pd Pd 15-70% Perchloric 5%; Butoxyethanol 15%; Methanol 80% 5C, 30V, 15mA   Fe Si Si 3% Nitric 80%; Methanol 20% -35C, 20V, 50-60mA Large thin areas.  Sample must be removed from holder as quickly as possible and rinsed in three beakers of ethanol to prevent oxide film. Fe Si Si 3% Sulfuric 80%; Methanol 20% -35C, 20V, 50-60mA Large thin areas.  Sample must be removed from holder as quickly as possible and rinsed in three beakers of ethanol to prevent oxide film. Fe Si O Si <1%; O <1% Perchloric 10%; Acetic 90% 20C, 35-40V, 30mA Good result FV 535   Perchloric 20%; Methanol 80% -20C, 30mA Use low to moderate electrolyte flow Glass   Hydrofluoric 90%; Hydrochloric 10%   Chemical Polish Only Inconel Alloy 600 Perchloric 20%; Methanol 80% -40C, 15-20V, 80-90mA Use low to moderate electrolyte flow Inconel Alloy 690 Perchloric 20%; Methanol 80% -40C, 40V, 150mA Fast electrolyte flow needed Inconel Alloy 706 (cold worked) Perchloric 20%; Methanol 80% -40C, 150V, 90-100mA Fast electrolyte flow needed Mar M 509   Nitric 4%; Isobutanol 48%; Methanol 48%; Zinc Chloride 40 gms -40C, 150V, 25-60mA Fast electrolyte flow needed Mg   Nitric 10%; Methanol 90% 20V   Mo   Sulfuric 13%; Methanol 87% -40C, 80-100mA   Mo   Sulfuric 80%; Hydrofluoric 20%     Mo C C <1% Sulfuric 5%; Glycerol 30%; Methanol 65% -30C, 35V, 65mA   Mo Hf N   Sulfuric 20%; Methanol 80% 25C, 17V, 95mA Dip in phosphoric after polishing Mo Hf N   Perchloric 5%, Butoxyethanol 15%; Methanol 80% 0C, 105V, 90mA Slightly etched Mo Hf N   Sulfuric 20%; Methanol 80% 25C, 70V, >100 mA Good result, Fast electrolyte flow needed Monel   Nitric 37%; Methanol 63% -40C, 40-50V, 60mA Fast electrolyte flow needed Nb pure Hydrofluoric 1%; Sulfuric 6%; Methanol 93% -40C, 40V, 40mA Slightly etched Nb various alloys Hydrofluoric 1%; Sulfuric 2%; Methanol 97% -50C   Nb   Saturated Solution of Ammonium Fluoride in Methanol 13%; Methanol 87% -30C, 150V Thins at a rate of 5 microns/minute. Maintaining temperature is critical. Ni pure Perchloric 20%; Acetic 80%     Ni Al Al 50% Perchloric 3%; Butoxyethanol 32%; Methanol 65% 0C, 35V, 50mA Excellent result Ni Al   Perchloric 10%; Methanol 90% -45C, 18V, 70mA   Ni Cr Cr 33% Perchloric 10%; Acetic 90% 10C, 55V, 65mA   Ni Mo   Nitric 33%; Methanol 67% -30C to -50C   Ni Nb Nb 40% Perchloric 10%; Ethanol 90% 8C, 35-40V   Ni V V 2% Perchloric 10%; Acetic 90% 10C, 55V, 60mA   Pd pure Perchloric 16%; Acetic 42%; Butoxyethanol 42% -10C, 25-30V Deforms easily Pd Ni Ni 20-50% Perchloric 16%; Acetic 42%; Butoxyethanol 42% -10C, 25-30V   Pt pure Saturated Solution of Calcium Chloride in H20 25C, 35V   Pt C C <1% Saturated Solution of Calcium Chloride in H20 25C, 20V   Pt Ga Ga 4% Saturated Solution of Calcium Chloride in H20 25C, 20V   Si   Hydrofluoric 91%; H20 9%; Potassium Permanganate 10.5 gms -25C Fast electrolyte flow needed Si Cu Alloy 2124 Nitric 25%; Methanol 75% -30C   Stainless Steel Alloy 302 Perchloric 10%; Ethanol 90% -25C, 25V, 10 mA   Stainless Steel Alloy 303 Perchloric 5%; Acetic 95% 15C, 30V, 80mA   Stainless Steel Alloy 304 Perchloric 20%; Acetic 80% 25C, 10-15V, 60-90mA Use low electrolyte flow Stainless Steel Alloy 308 Perchloric 20%; Acetic 80% 25C, 10-15V, 60-90mA Use low electrolyte flow Stainless Steel Alloy 310 Perchloric 5%; Acetic 95% 25C, 35V, 80mA   Stainless Steel Alloy 420 Sulfuric 40%; Phosphoric 60% 60C, 10V   Stainless Steel Alloy 420 Perchloric 15%; Ethanol 85% 25C, 18V   Stainless Steel   Sulfuric 40%; Phosphoric 60%     Steel Low Carbon Glacial Acetic 500 ml; Anhydrous Sodium Chromate 100 gms     Ta pure Hydrofluoric 3%; Sulfuric 10%; Methanol 87% -25C, 35V, 80mA Slightly etched Ta lr Ta 50% Saturated Solution of Calcium Chloride in H20 25C, 20V, 200mA Good result Ti various alloys Perchloric 6%; Butoxyethanol 35%; Methanol 59% -30C   Ti   Perchloric 6%; Butoxyethanol 35%; Methanol 59%     Ti   Sulfuric 3%; Hydrochloric 3%; Methanol 94% -30C   Ti Al   Perchloric 5%, Butoxyethanol 15%; Methanol 80% 5C, 35V, 30mA Slightly etched at grain boundaries Ti Al