Abstract
The report deals with some results of the author's experiments on the electrolytic polishing of the quenched 1.0% carbon steel. The experiments were performed according to the wall known Jacquet's method. Seeing from the results of numerous tests, the author proposed the following tentative recommendation to develop the mirror-like surface of the steel:
(1) Anode: A test piece as anode, vertically set parallel to the cathode about 25mm apart.
(2) Cathode: Aluminium plate, the cathode surface area being about 12 times of the polished surface.
(3) Electrolyte: (75% of anhydrous acetic acid solution)+(20% of the 60% perchloric acid solution)+(5% of distilled water).
(4) Current density of the anode: 7.0-8.0 Amp/dm2.
(5) Solution temperatare: 15°C.
(6) Polishing time: 5-15min.
(7) Fe-content in the electrolyte: 1.6-6.3g/l.
(8) Agitation velocity: Comparatively slow (an agitator being used.)
The conditions above mentioned are not applicable to other steels, such as annealed carbon steel, high speed steel and high-carbon and high-chromium die steel, to obtain mirror-like surfaces, but sufficient to develop their microstructures.
