Etchants

Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys

Brass and Bronze Alloys
Cast Iron
Copper Alloys
Low Carbon Steel
High Carbon Steel
Stainless Steel
Tin Alloy
Zinc Alloy

The following table lists the most commonly used etchants

Etchant

Composition

ASTM No. 30

Mix
Ammonia
and water
Ammonia
before
62.5 ml
Hydrogen
adding
125 ml
Peroxide (3%)
peroxide.
62.5 ml
DI Water
Must be
used fresh.
Swab 5-45
seconds

For etching
copper, copper
alloys and
copper-silver
alloys.

Adler Etchant

Copper
ammonium
chloride
Hydrochloric
acid
Ferric
chloride,
hydrated
DI Water

Kalling's No. 2

CuCl2
Hydrochloric
acid
Ethanol

Conc.

Conditions

Comments

9
gramsl
150 ml
45
grams
75 ml

Immersion is
recommende
d for several
seconds

For etching 300

series stainless
steel and other
superalloys

5
grams
100 ml
100 ml

Immersion
or swabbing
etch at 20
degrees
Celsius

For etching
duplex and 400
series stainless
steels and Ni-Cu
alloys and
superalloys.

The following table lists the most commonly used etchants

Etchant

Composition Conc.

Conditions

Comments
For etching alphaSodium
beta brass, bonze,
thiosulfate 250 ml
tin, cast iron
Etch for a
Klemm's
solution
Saturate
phosphides, ferrite,
few seconds
Reagent
Potassium
d
martensite, retained
to minutes
metabisulfit 5 grams
austenite, zinc and
e
steel temper
embrittlement.
Distilled
water
92 ml
Swab
Excellent for titanium
Krolls Reagent Nitric acid
6 ml
specimen up
and alloys.
Hydrofluoric 2 ml
to 20
acid
seconds
Most common
etchant for Fe,
carbon and alloys
Immersion
steels and cast iron Ethanol
100 ml
Nital
up to a few Immerse sample up
Nitric acid
1-10 ml
minutes.
from seconds to
minutes; Mn-Fe,
MnNi, Mn-Cu, Mn-Co
alloys.
For etching Ni, Ni-Cu
CuSO4
Immerse or
10 grams
and Ni-Fe alloys and
Marble's
Hydrochloric
swab for
50 ml
superalloys. Add a
Reagent
acid
5-60
50 ml
few drops of H2SO4
Water
seconds.

The following table lists the most commonly used etchants

Etchant

Compositio
Conc.
n

Murakami's

10
K3Fe(CN)6 grams
KOH
10
Water
grams
100 ml

Picral

Ethanol
Picric acid

Vilellas
Reagent

Picric Acid
1 gram
Hydrochlori
5 ml
c acid
100 ml
Ethanol

100 ml
2-4
grams

Conditions

Comments

Cr and alloys (use fresh

and immerse); iron and
steels reveals carbides;
Pre-mix
Mo and alloys uses
KOH and
fresh and immerse; Niwater
Cu alloys for alpha
before
phases use at 75
adding
Celcius; W and alloys
K3Fe(CN)6
use fresh and immerse;
WC-Co and complex
sintered carbides.
Recommended for
microstructures
Seconds to
containing ferrite,
minutes
carbide, pearlite,
Do not let
martensite and bainite.
etchant
Also useful for
crystallize
magnetic alloys, cast
or dry
iron, high alloy
explosive
stainless steels and
magnesium.
Good for ferrite-carbide
Seconds to structures (tempered
minutes
martensite) in iron and
steel

Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys

Aluminum alloys are designated as either wrought
or cast. Wrought aluminum alloys are classified by
the major alloying element
1000 series pure aluminum (1050, 1060, 1199)
2000 series aluminum copper alloys (2014. 2024,
2219)
3000 series aluminum ma managese alloys (3003,
3004, 3102)
4000 series aluminum silicon alloys (4041)
5000 series aluminum magnesium alloys (5005,
5052, 5083, 5086, 5154, 5356, 5154, 5356, 5454)
6000 series aluminum magnesium and silicon alloys
(6060, 6061, 6063, 6066, 6070, 6082, 6105, 6162)
7000 series aluminum zinc alloys (70005, 7022,
7068, 7072, 7075, 7079, 7116, 7129, 7178)
8000 series aluminum lithium alloys

Cast aluminum alloys are classified similarly

to wrought alloys, however, the 2nd and 3rd
digit signify the percentage of aluminum
1xx.x series are minimum 99% aluminium
2xx.x series copper (201.0, 204.0, 242.0)
3xx.x series silicon, copper and/or
magnesium (319.0, 328.0, 328.0, 355.0,
356.0)
4xx.x series silicon (433.3)
5xx.x series magnesium (512.0, 514.0, 520.0,
535.0)
7xx.x series zinc (705.0, 707.0, 710.0, 713.0,
771.0)
8xx.x series lithium

The most common etchants for aluminum are Kellers etch

and Kroll's reagent, however, there are hundreds of more
specific etchants. A good resouce for additional etchants
can be found with the etchant database provided by PACE
Technologies,
http://www.metallographic.com/Consumables/Etch.htm
Sample Preparation: Aluminum alloys must be properly
prepared to reveal the true metallographic microstructure.
A number of recommended procedures can be found at the
following links:
http://www.metallographic.com/Procedures/Aluminum%20De
scription.htm
http://www.metallographic.com/Brochures/Met-Manual-2b.p
df
CAUTION: Safety is very important when etching. Be sure to
wear the appropriate protective clothing and observe all
WARNINGS on chemical manufacturers MSDS. Also review
COMMENTS Section for each etchant.

Aluminum-Silicon Alloy, Kellers etch, 200X

Brass and Bronze Alloys

The most common etchants for brass and bronze alloys contain
either ammonium hydroxide, nitric acid or ferric chloride, however,
there are hundreds of more specific etchants. A good resouce for
additional etchants can be found with the etchant database
provided by PACE Technologies,
http://www.metallographic.com/Consumables/Etch.htm
Sample Preparation: Brass and bronze alloys must be properly
prepared to reveal the true metallographic microstructure. A
number of recommended procedures can be found at the following
links:
http://www.metallographic.com/Procedures/Copper%20Description.
htm
http://www.metallographic.com/Brochures/Met-Manual-2b.pdf
CAUTION: Safety is very important when etching. Be sure to wear
the appropriate protective clothing and observe all WARNINGS on
chemical manufacturers MSDS. Also review COMMENTS Section for
each etchant.

Etchant
Ammonium
hydroxide
(dilute
solutions)

Copper No. 1
Distilled water
Ferric chloride
Hydrochloric
acid

Copper No. 2
Nitric acid
Distilled water

Conc.

Dilute

200 ml
10 grams
50 ml

125 ml
125 ml

Conditions

Comments

Immersion

Attack
polishing,
ASTM 30 is
also a good
etchant for
copper and
coper alloys

Immersion or
swabbing

Brasses,
bronzes,
aluminum
brass, alpha
-phases in
brass

1 second to
several
minutes by
immersion or
swabbing

Common
etchant for
copper and
copper alloys
such as brass
and bronze

Manganese-Aluminum Bronze Alloy, 400X DIC)

Cast Iron
Safety is very important when etching. Be sure to wear the appropriate
protective clothing and observe all WARNINGS on chemical manufacturers
MSDS. Also review COMMENTS Section for each etchant.
CAUTION:

Etchant
Nital
Ethanol
Nitric acid

Conc.
100 ml
1-10
ml

Condition
s

Comments

Seconds
to
minutes

Do not exceed 10%

nitric acid explosive

Copper Alloys
The most common etchants for copper alloys contain either
ammonium hydroxide, nitric acid or ferric chloride, however, there
are hundreds of more specific etchants. A good resouce for
additional etchants can be found with the etchant database
provided by PACE Technologies,
http://www.metallographic.com/Consumables/Etch.htm
Sample Preparation: Copper alloys must be properly prepared to
reveal the true metallographic microstructure. A number of
recommended procedures can be found at the following links:
http://www.metallographic.com/Procedures/Copper%20Description.
htm
http://www.metallographic.com/Brochures/Met-Manual-2b.pdf
CAUTION: Safety is very important when etching. Be sure to wear
the appropriate protective clothing and observe all WARNINGS on
chemical manufacturers MSDS. Also review COMMENTS Section for
each etchant.

Etchant

Conc.

Condition
Comments
s

Distilled water
Ammonium
hydroxide
Hydrogen
peroxide (3%)

25 ml
25 ml
5-25 ml

Seconds to
minutes
(use only
fresh)

Distilled water
Nitric acid

50 ml
50 ml

Seconds to Copper and copper

minutes
alloys

Distilled water or 100-120

Ethanol
ml
Hydrochloric acid 25-50 ml
5-10
Ferric chloride
grams

-Grain boundaries use

less H2O2
-Grain contrast use more
H2O2

Seconds to
Produce grain contrast
minutes

Low Carbon Steel Etchants

The most common etchant for low carbon steels or weld steels is Nital,
however, there are a lot of other potential etchant for speicalized etching.
A good resouce for additional etchants can be found with the etchant
database provided by PACE Technologies,
http://www.metallographic.com/Consumables/Etch.htm
Sample Preparation: Low carbon steels and welded steel must be properly
prepared to reveal the true metallographic microstructure. A number of
recommended procedures can be found at the following links:
http://www.metallographic.com/Etchants/Low%20carbon%20steel%20etc
hants.htm
http://www.metallographic.com/Brochures/Met-Manual-2b.pdf
CAUTION: Safety is very important when etching. Be sure to wear the
appropriate protective clothing and observe all WARNINGS on chemical
manufacturers MSDS. Also review COMMENTS Section for each etchant.

Etchant

Conc.

Conditions

Comments

Nital
Ethanol
Nitric acid

100 ml
1-10 ml

Seconds to
minutes

Do not exceed 10%

nitric acid-explosive

Picral
Ethanol
Picric acid

100 ml
2-4
grams

Seconds to
minutes

Do not let etchant dryexplosive

1018 Low Carbon Steel (quenched), etched, Mag. 100X

High Carbon Steel Etchants

The most common etchants for heat treated steels or martensitic
microstructures contain picric acid dissolved in alcohol and acids. A good
resouce for additional etchants can be found with the etchant database
provided by PACE Technologies,
http://www.metallographic.com/Consumables/Etch.htm
Sample Preparation: Both heat treated and un-heat treated steels must be
properly prepared to reveal the true metallographic microstructure. A
number of recommended procedures can be found at the following links:
http://www.metallographic.com/Procedures/Steel%20Description.htm
http://www.metallographic.com/Brochures/Met-Manual-2b.pdf
CAUTION: Safety is very important when etching. Be sure to wear the
appropriate protective clothing and observe all WARNINGS on chemical
manufacturers MSDS. Also review COMMENTS Section for each etchant.

Etchant

Conc.

Conditions

Comments

Picral
Ethanol
Picric acid

100 ml
2-4 grams

For heat treated steels

Seconds to
Do not let etchant dryminutes
explosive

Ethanol
Nitric acid
Hydrochloric
acid
Picric acid

80 ml
10 ml
10 ml
1 gram

Seconds to
Grain boundaries
minutes

Nital
Ethanol
Nitric acid

100 ml
1-10 ml

Seconds to Do not exceed 10%

minutes
nitric acid -explosive

1095 High Carbon Steel (furnace cooled), etched, Mag. 100X

http://www.metallographic.com/Etcha
nts/Etchants.htm