Use of Light Scattering Method to Assess the Texture of Electropolished Surfaces

The electropolishing process is a frequently used method of finish surface treatment. This process allows to obtain a shiny surface with small surface roughness values. The paper shows that for electropolished surfaces a fast assessment of the surface texture can be made using the light scattering method. The primary aim of this article is to present the theoretical basis of this method, as well as to show the results of its verification by means of experimental research. Samples made of AISI 304 stainless steel were used for the tests. The samples were electropolished in a solution of sulfuric acid and orthophosphoric acid. The solution were prepared in two different concentrations. During the tests, the evaluation of the surface texture of the samples was carried out after different times of electropolishing. The assessment of the geometrical structure of the samples was made using the scatter method and the obtained results were compared with the reference results obtained from surface measurements by the stylus profilometer. The conducted research has shown that the proposed light scatter method can be used to quickly assess the geometric structure of electropolished surfaces.