Curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing 1989-2025
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Acid Etching Aluminum
What is or are the best etchants to acid etch Aluminum, How should they be treated, i.e. heated like ferric chloride
⇦ this on
eBay or
Amazon [affil links] ? what baumé if any
?
regards,
2006
Aluminum is very reactive. Diluted hydrochloric (muriatic) acid, sulfuric acid and ferric chloride ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] at almost any dilution above 50% will etch it. Strong caustic solutions (NaOH or KOH in water) will also etch it. Room temp.
Guillermo Marrufo2006
H2SO4 and H3PO4 mixed solution
John Hu2006
2006
There is an etch commonly used in the microelectronics industry for etching aluminium. The solution is 80 ml of orthophosphoric acid, 10 ml of nitric acid, 10 ml of acetic acid ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and 20 ml of water. The solution works best when heated to about 60 °C.
Dr. Gary Callon
University of Dundee
Arbroath, Scotland
When you say acid etch aluminum, I assume you are not talking about pure aluminum as in 1100, but something in the 3,4,5,6,7XXX. For pure aluminum, you will probably want to use a caustic rather than acid.
James WattsNavarre, Florida
2006
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