Industrial-scale electropolishing of stainless steel pipes for semiconductor industry application

This study effectively tackles challenges in large-scale electropolishing of stainless steel pipes by controlling process parameters and monitoring the current-voltage polarisation curve with an industrial DC rectifier. The enhanced understanding of the polarisation-electropolishing relationship has facilitated the optimisation of key process parameters, including applied voltage, electrolyte flow rate, and temperature. Through subsequent surface characterisation studies, the electropolishing behaviour and its impact on surface roughness improvement have been thoroughly explored. The developed process not only simplifies but also provides a predictive tool for anticipating the temperatures and flow rates of the electrolyte solution, making it well-suited for industrial-scale electropolishing of 316L stainless steel pipes. The methodology involves current-voltage polarisation tests employing an industrial DC rectifier. This industrial-scale electropolishing approach holds significant promise for providing electropolished piping in semiconductor industry applications, effectively bridging the gap between lab-based investigations and mass production capabilities. Moreover, it ensures cost-effectiveness by leveraging commercially available instrumentation.