Objectives of the Project

Objectives of the Project

 

The Plasma electrolytic Polishing (PeP) is an immersion-based process for polishing metal. This requires the complete immersion of the component into the bath. The Figure 1 shows a sample which has been immersed up to half in the electrolyte bath.  

 Figure 1: Stainless steel sample with unpolished (left) and polished surface (right)

 

The main objective of the project is to transfer the PeP process from an immersion-based to a jet-based setup (Figure 2).

    

 

Figure 2: Principle of the Jet-PeP process

This transition allows for the local and adapted treatment - only where the electrolyte jet hits the part surface - and for the first time decouples the maximum process energy required from the part size. With this approach and utilizing the process energy source (PES) developed within the project, a much more flexible and resource-efficient technology to locally functionalize the surface nano- and microstructure will be made available.

By the help of a special process energy source and control to be developed, depth removals in the range of several tens of nanometers and thus a much more accurate definition of surface and material properties will be possible in future. By the way the substantial localization will support the process stability and will qualify the process for the realization of new surface functions operating in the nanometer scale for example by the focused and precise dissolution of alloyed elements or the selective treatment of grain boundaries of medical materials. Especially in the addressed sectors of medical engineering and biotechnology, where microscopic and nanoscopic organisms are involved, this will provide considerable benefits.

 

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