Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Investigating the effect of mixed alkaline electrolyte (NaOH + KOH) on the improvement of machining efficiency in 2D electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM)

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Since the microchannels have a vital role in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip devices, the surface quality, material removal rate (MRR), and geometrical accuracy of microchannels should be controlled well. The electrolyte nature is one of the dominant and important factors that affect the accuracy and performance of electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM). In this contribution, two alkaline electrolytes, NaOH and KOH, were mixed in equal proportion. It was observed that using NaOH + KOH mixed electrolyte at 15 and 25 wt% concentrations provides more electrical conductivity than KOH and NaOH separately at the same concentrations. It results in the fabrication of deeper microchannel with sharper sidewalls compared to KOH and NaOH, while its surface quality is preserved as well. Also, using 25, 30, and 35 wt% mixed electrolyte, due to higher viscosity compared to KOH, improved the surface quality of channels up to 35, 42, and 36%, respectively. Analyzing the waveform of the current response of various electrolytes showed that the microchannel with poor MRR and surface quality will be fabricated in the presence of salt electrolytes due to the generation of very low energy and unstable electrochemical sparks. In another part of the experiments, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis of the tungsten carbide (WC) tool used in different electrolytes showed that the tools used in NaOH and NaNO3 had more severe wear compared to KOH and mixed electrolyte. Also, at the applied voltages of 50 V, the tool erosion was more serious compared to tool erosion at 35 V.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wüthrich R, Hof L, Lal A, Fujisaki K, Bleuler H, Mandin P, Picard G (2005) Physical principles and miniaturization of spark assisted chemical engraving (SACE). J Micromech Microeng 15(10):S268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Liu J, Yue T, Guo Z (2010) An analysis of the discharge mechanism in electrochemical discharge machining of particulate reinforced metal matrix composites. Int J Mach Tools Manuf 50(1):86–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Kurafuji H (1968) Electrical discharge drilling of glass I. Ann CIRP 16:415–419

    Google Scholar 

  4. Esashi M, Matsumoto Y, Shoji S (1990) Absolute pressure sensors by air-tight electrical feedthrough structure. Sensors Actuators A Phys 23(1–3):1048–1052

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Basak I, Ghosh A (1997) Mechanism of material removal in electrochemical discharge machining: a theoretical model and experimental verification. J Mater Process Technol 71(3):350–359

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Jain V, Dixit P, Pandey P (1999) On the analysis of the electrochemical spark machining process. Int J Mach Tools Manuf 39(1):165–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Yang C, Ho S, Yan BH (2001) Micro hole machining of borosilicate glass through electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM). In: Key Engineering Materials. Trans Tech Publ, pp 149–166

  8. Fascio V, Wüthrich R, Bleuler H (2004) Spark assisted chemical engraving in the light of electrochemistry. Electrochim Acta 49(22):3997–4003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Wüthrich R, Fascio V (2005) Machining of non-conducting materials using electrochemical discharge phenomenon—an overview. Int J Mach Tools Manuf 45(9):1095–1108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Wüthrich R, Spaelter U, Bleuler H (2006) The current signal in spark-assisted chemical engraving (SACE): what does it tell us? J Micromech Microeng 16(4):779

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Didar TF, Dolatabadi A, Wüthrich R (2008) Characterization and modeling of 2D-glass micro-machining by spark-assisted chemical engraving (SACE) with constant velocity. J Micromech Microeng 18(6):065016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Cheng C-P, K-L W, Mai C-C, Yang C-K, Hsu Y-S, Yan B-H (2010) Study of gas film quality in electrochemical discharge machining. Int J Mach Tools Manuf 50(8):689–697

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Ziki JDA, Didar TF, Wüthrich R (2012) Micro-texturing channel surfaces on glass with spark assisted chemical engraving. Int J Mach Tools Manuf 57:66–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Zheng Z-P, Cheng W-H, Huang F-Y, Yan B-H (2007) 3D microstructuring of Pyrex glass using the electrochemical discharge machining process. J Micromech Microeng 17(5):960

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Han M-S, Min B-K, Lee SJ (2007) Improvement of surface integrity of electro-chemical discharge machining process using powder-mixed electrolyte. J Mater Process Technol 191(1):224–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Cheng C-P, K-L W, Mai C-C, Hsu Y-S, Yan B-H (2010) Magnetic field-assisted electrochemical discharge machining. J Micromech Microeng 20(7):075019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Han M-S, Min B-K, Lee SJ (2009) Geometric improvement of electrochemical discharge micro-drilling using an ultrasonic-vibrated electrolyte. J Micromech Microeng 19(6):065004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Salonitis K, Stournaras A, Stavropoulos P, Chryssolouris G (2009) Thermal modeling of the material removal rate and surface roughness for die-sinking EDM. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 40(3):316–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Yang C-K, Cheng C-P, Mai C-C, Wang AC, Hung J-C, Yan B-H (2010) Effect of surface roughness of tool electrode materials in ECDM performance. Int J Mach Tools Manuf 50(12):1088–1096

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Kim D-J, Ahn Y, Lee S-H, Kim Y-K (2006) Voltage pulse frequency and duty ratio effects in an electrochemical discharge microdrilling process of Pyrex glass. Int J Mach Tools Manuf 46(10):1064–1067

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Ziki JDA, Wüthrich R (2012) Tool wear and tool thermal expansion during micro-machining by spark assisted chemical engraving. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 61(5–8):481–486

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Behroozfar A, Razfar MR (2016) Experimental study of the tool wear during the electrochemical discharge machining. Mater Manuf Process 31(5):574–580

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Wüthrich R, Hof L (2006) The gas film in spark assisted chemical engraving (SACE)—a key element for micro-machining applications. Int J Mach Tools Manuf 46(7):828–835

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Bansal NP, Doremus RH (2013) Handbook of glass properties. Elsevier

  25. Ribeiro AB, Mateus EP, Couto N Electrokinetics across disciplines and continents. Springer

  26. Sivasankar B (2008) Engineering chemistry. Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  27. Arthur D. Little I (1962) Electrical conductivity, compressibility, and viscosity of aqueous electrolytic solutions. Defense documentation center of scientific and technical information. Cameron station. Alexandra, Virginia

  28. Allagui A (2011) On the electrochemical discharges for nanoparticles synthesis. (Doctoral dissertation, Concordia University)

  29. Wüthrich R (2009) Micromachining using electrochemical discharge phenomenon: fundamentals and applications of spark assisted chemical engraving. William Andrew

  30. Mousa M, Allagui A, Ng H, Wüthrich R (2008) The effect of thermal conductivity of the tool electrode in spark-assisted chemical engraving gravity-feed micro-drilling. J Micromech Microeng 19(1):015010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Goud M, Sharma AK, Jawalkar C (2016) A review on material removal mechanism in electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM) and possibilities to enhance the material removal rate. Precis Eng 45:1–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Alexandrov AA (2005) The equations for thermophysical properties of aqueous solutions of sodium hydroxide. In: Nakahara M, Matubayasi N, Ueno M, Yasuoka K, Watanabe K (eds) Proceedings of the 14th international conference on the properties of water and steam, pp 86–90

  33. Jiang B, Lan S, Ni J, Zhang Z (2014) Experimental investigation of spark generation in electrochemical discharge machining of non-conducting materials. J Mater Process Technol 214(4):892–898

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, 424, Hafez Ave, Tehran, Iran

    Nasim Sabahi & Mohammad Reza Razfar

Authors
  1. Nasim Sabahi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mohammad Reza Razfar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad Reza Razfar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sabahi, N., Razfar, M.R. Investigating the effect of mixed alkaline electrolyte (NaOH + KOH) on the improvement of machining efficiency in 2D electrochemical discharge machining (ECDM). Int J Adv Manuf Technol 95, 643–657 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-017-1210-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-017-1210-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation