Etchant | Conc. | Conditions | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Distilled water
Ammonium hydroxide Hydrogen peroxide (3%) |
25 ml
25 ml 5-25 ml |
Seconds to minutes (use only fresh) |
-Grain boundaries use less H2O2 -Grain contrast use more H2O2 |
Distilled water
Nitric acid |
50 ml
50 ml |
Seconds to minutes | Copper and copper alloys |
Distilled water or Ethanol
Hydrochloric acid Ferric chloride |
100-120 ml
25-50 ml 5-10 gm |
Seconds to minutes | Produce grain contrast |
Wecks Copper Tint Potassium Permanganate Sodium Hydroxide Distilled water |
12.5 grams 5 grams 250 ml |
Immersion or swabbing etch at 20 degrees Celsius |
Effective for etching copper and copper alloys to reveal microstructure. Used to create a color contrast in the microstructure of certain alloys, making it easier to distinguish different phases. |
Tough Pitch copper, etched, Mag. 100X |