It can be challenging to properly identify the phases in electro-polished duplex stainless steel using optical microscopy or other characterization techniques. This letter describes magnetic force microscopy to properly identify the phases in electropolished duplex stainless steel. The results are also confirmed PM anoindentation with the current sensing atomic force and scanning Kelvin probe f...

Virtually all products that are finished require some pre-finishing procedure such as cleaning, stripping, or pickling. Without a properly cleaned surface, even the most expensive coating will fail to adhere or protect the workpiece. Depending on the process being performed, the degree of cleanliness will vary. Finishing operations such as phosphating, chromating, or electropolishing do not req...

The DC electropolishing process has been applied to the sharpening of tungsten wires in 2 M KOH aqueous solution. Necking of tungsten anodes takes place in the vicinity of the electrolyte-air interface. This results in the creation of two separate wire parts with nanosharp tips. Using image analysis, we demonstrate that the products of electrochemical reactions on the wire surface form a film w...

The DESY R&D program on cavities fabricated from large-grain niobium explores the potential of this material for the production of approximately 1000 nine-cell cavities for the European XFEL. The program investigates both basic material properties, comparing large grain material to standard sheet niobium, and material availability, production, and preparation aspects. Several single-cell caviti...

The preparation of the cavity walls has been one of the major challenges in the superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) accelerator technology. Therefore, constant research and development effort is devoted to develop surface preparation processes that will improve roughness and lower the level of impurities, like hydrogen or oxygen, embedded in bulk Nb, having in the same time reasonable etching...

Gold electrodes disks (2.0 mm diameter, Metrohm) were mechanically polished with aluminum oxide pads or diamond spray on polishing cloth (Kemet) of progressively decreasing particle size: 1 μm, 0.3 μm and 0.05 μm, with intermittent sonication in water. The electrodes were then electrochemically polished in a deaerated NaOH or KOH 0.5 mol L between the potentials -1.5 V and -0.5 V vs. Ag|AgCl or...

Polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of p-type 6H-SiC electrodes in an aqueous hydrofluoric acid solution is performed during the formation of porous SiC. The polarization of p-type SiC permits the identification of the flatband voltage, a Tafel-like region, and a limiting current which is attributed to the onset of the electropolishing regime. For some of the potential range...