Electrolytic Mirror Polishing Assisted by Mechanical Abrasions of Stainless Steel

Abstract

The electrolytic polishing of inner surface of large stainless steel vessels for chemical reactors has been reported recently for the purpose of decreasing the adherence of foul. But ordinary method of electrolytic polishing in strong acids is not always useful to apply to wide area because it necessitates pre-finishing of the surface and consumes much electric power.
In this paper, experimental results performed by a new method, electrolytic polishing assisted by mechanical abrasion in solution of sodium nitrate are described.
The roughness of the polished surface has been of 0.05-0.1μm Rmax and the adherence of the foul has been decreased to about one twentieth of that on mechanically polished surface.