The difference between chemical grinding, electrolytic grinding and mechanical grinding of stainless steel

(1) Chemical polishing and mechanical polishing are essentially different

“Chemical polishing” is a process in which the small convex portions on the surface to be polished are compared with the concave portions so that the convex portions are preferentially dissolved to improve the roughness of the metal surface and obtain a smooth and shiny surface.

“Mechanical polishing” is the process of removing the convex parts of the polished surface by cutting, abrasion, or plastic deformation to obtain a smooth and shiny surface.

The two grinding methods have different effects on the metal surface. Many properties of the metal surface are changed, so chemical grinding and mechanical grinding are essentially different. Due to the limitations of mechanical polishing, stainless steel, and other metal workpieces cannot perform their due functions. These problems are difficult to solve. In the 1980s, stainless steel electrolytic chemical grinding and polishing technology appeared, which solved the difficulty of mechanical polishing to a certain extent. The problem is obvious. However, electrochemical grinding and polishing still have many disadvantages.

(2) Comparison of chemical polishing and electrolytic polishing

★ Chemical grinding and polishing: immerse the metal in a special chemical solution composed of various components, and rely on chemical energy to naturally dissolve the metal surface to obtain a smooth and bright surface.

★ Electrolytic chemical grinding and polishing: The metal is immersed in a special chemical solution composed of various components, and the metal surface is anodically dissolved by current energy to obtain a smooth and bright surface. Chemical grinding is only a dipping operation, and the operation is simple; while electrolytic grinding and polishing require large-capacity direct current, and the current counter electrode must be reasonably set to accurately control the current and voltage. The operation process is complicated and the quality control is difficult. Some special workpieces cannot be processed. People have been looking forward to the emergence of better and more complete grinding methods. Although some pure chemical grinding and polishing technologies have appeared during this period, compared with electrolytic grinding methods, products that meet important technical indicators such as gloss, environmental protection, and grinding effects have never appeared.