Electro-Chemical-Mechanical, Low Stress, Automatic Polishing (ECMP) Device (Preprint)

摘要

This document describes a low stress automated polishing device that was developed to prepare titanium and nickel alloy samples for imaging with electron microscopy. The system uses pulsed electrochemical reactions within an alkaline electrolyte to generate a thin passivation layer on the surface of the sample, which is removed by the mechanical vibration of the system. This research documents the passivation layer development and removal for Ti-6Al-4V and nickel 718 samples subjected to varying electrical potential cycles and vibration polishing times. Results indicate applied cyclic potentials removed material faster than typical removal techniques. In addition, electron back scatter defraction data showed less subsurface sample damage using the electro- chemical-mechanical process compared to standard mechanical polishing.