Electropolishing behaviour of pure titanium in perchloric acid-methanol-ethylene glycol mixed solution

An electropolishing procedure for pure titanium in a methanol-perchloric acid-ethylene glycol electrolyte and the resulting surface characteristics are described. Based on the potential-current curves, and optical and atomic force microscopy examinations, it is shown that commercially available pure titanium can be electropolished well in methanol based solution containing 38 wt-% ethylene glycol and 10 wt-% perchloric acid. The optimum conditions for potentiostatic electropolishing of pure titanium in this solution are obtained by potentiostatic electropolishing under 20 V at 0 degrees C under appropriate agitation. Surface properties of Ti after electropolishing under the optimum conditions were compared to those obtained after mechanical polishing. While this type of electropolishing solution is more durable and less toxic to the environment than most conventional solutions, it provides mirror-like titanium surface finishing.