What is electropolishing and how is it different from passivation? Electropolishing is an electrolytic process that expels contaminants from metal parts for cleanliness while preventing particles from adhering. Electropolishing, a non-mechanical process, is ideal in metal finishing because it can be used on objects with complex shapes. Passivation is a non-electrolytic process that removes iron from stainless steel surfaces to prevent rust and corrosion. As a non-electrolytic process, passivation does not require the usage of an electrical current. Solutions like citric and nitric acids are used instead to create a film and remove free iron and foreign matter from metal surfaces. Electropolishing and passivation are two different approaches in eliminating and preventing rust and corrosion on metal surfaces.
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Go For More About Electropolishing http://www.astropak.com/electropolishing.php
Electropolishing involves the process of using electrochemical finishing techniques to obtain a corrosion-resistant finish for metals and alloys. Essentially, electropolishing is a technique where a combination of chemicals and an electrical current is utilized to carefully eliminate imperfections and contaminants of metal part surfaces. This particular process is an alternative to abrasive fine polishing. Your washing machine’s stainless steel drum or surgical steel devices are examples of electropolished surfaces. Electropolishing can be used to polish, deburr, and passivate metal components. Many benefits can be observed with electropolishing including: outstanding finished appearance, corrosion-proof surface, surface smoothness, reduced maintenance costs, and enhanced cleanability.
Passivation, on the other hand, is a chemical process applied to stainless steel surfaces. During machining, stainless steel may cause imperfections from iron being embedded or smeared onto the surface. Since iron corrodes, the stainless steel surface, if left untouched, will cause rust spots to appear. A corrosive reaction can occur between the two different metals but the condition can be negated with passivation. Passivation allows stainless steel surfaces to be more passive and resistant to corrosion. To make the stainless steel area more passive, a “film” is created so that surface loses chemical reactivity. When exposed to air, the stainless steel undergoing passivation will form a chemically inactive surface. Many benefits can be observed through passivation like sanitary and safety. Passivation is a highly desired process because it produces a low corrosion rate in stainless steels.
Using a combination of electropolishing and passivation will allow metals to obtain the ultimate corrosion-resistant and shiny surface. Not only does electropolishing for metals and alloys produce a surface finishing resistant to corrosion, enhanced durability, improved performance, and a smoother and aesthetically pleasing surface can gained from this electrolytic process. Passivation, on the other hand, is not an effective method for removing surfaces that has been welded or heat treated. In other words, passivation does not change or brighten the metal’s appearance—it will only give surfaces a clean finish. Electropolishing would be the more appropriate approach when aesthetics are necessary.
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