Enhancement of the Localization Effect during Electrochemical Machining of Inconel 718 by Using an Alkaline Solution

Electrochemical machining (ECM) is a cost-effective method for the machining of difficult-to-cut Inconel 718 superalloy. However, the machining accuracy of ECM is still limited by the poor localization effect due to the existence of stray corrosion. In this paper, a mixed solution of neutral NaNO3 and alkaline NaOH is used to improve the localization effect during ECM of Inconel 718. The potentiodynamic polarization curves and current efficiencies for metal dissolution are measured, and the micro morphologies are examined. The results show that the use of an alkaline solution can promote the formation of a compact passive film on the surface of Inconel 718. ECM tests with cylindrical electrodes are specially designed to verify the effect of alkaline solution on the localization of anodic dissolution. The experimental results indicated that the stray corrosion of the non-machined surface of Inconel 718 alloy can be effectively eliminated by using a mixed solution of NaNO3 and NaOH. The surface roughness of the non-machined area can be noticeably improved.