Electrochemical machining using ultrapure water

电化学加工被解释为基材与化学溶液中电解离子之间的化学相互作用。然而，我们提出化学溶液中的OH^-离子有助于电化学加工过程，并首次证明超纯水本身可以加工材料。所提出的加工工艺不会产生任何污染加工表面的化学物质。为了使加工工艺切实可行，迫切需要进一步的研究，并取得了以下成果。我们已经开发出一种高效的催化剂，可以使超纯水中OH^-离子的密度比没有催化剂的超纯水高100万倍。实验结果表明，在~ 2A/cm^2的电解电流密度下，以~ 20 μm/min的速度加工Cu、Fe和Mo是可能的，并可获得表面粗糙度为10 nm的平坦Cu表面。此外，还进行了样品作为阴极的加工实验。它首次证明了硅和铝都有可能被加工。

Electrochemical machining was interpreted as chemical interactions between a substrate and electrolytic ions in chemical solutions. However, we have suggested that OH^- ions in chemical solutions contribute to an electrochemical machining process, and proved for the first time that ultrapure water itself can machine materials. The proposed machining process does not produce any chemical that pollutes the machined surface. Further researches to make the machining process practicable are required urgently, and the results mentioned below have been obtained.We have developed an efficient catalyst to make the density of OH^- ions in ultrapure water 1,000,000 times as high as that ultrapure water without the catalyst. Machining experiments with the catalyst have demonstrated that it is possible to machine Cu, Fe and Mo at the rate of 〜20 μm/min under the electrolytic current density of 〜2A/cm^2, and obtain a flat Cu surface with the surface roughness of 10 nm. Furthermore, machining experiments in which a sample acts as cathode have been performed. It has demonstrated for the fist time that both Si and Al are possible to be machined.