# Analysis of Niobium and Stainless Steel Electropolishing Solutions by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Using a Porous Silicon Substrate and a Non-Contact Pretreatment

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a new method using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy to analyze corrosive electropolishing solutions for niobium and stainless steel.

## Contribution

A novel non-contact pretreatment and porous silicon substrate enable LIBS analysis of corrosive electropolishing solutions.

## Key findings

- Emission lines of niobium, iron, and chromium were successfully detected in electropolishing solutions.
- Linear correlations were observed between spectral line intensity and the amount of polished metal.
- The method shows potential for on-site analysis of highly corrosive industrial solutions.

## Abstract

Electropolishing is an essential process for the surface treatment of metallic materials. To determine the appropriate replacement timing of electropolishing solutions for their efficient use and improved productivity, it is important to periodically analyze the amounts of dissolved metals in the solutions. However, these solutions are typically highly corrosive, and on-site analytical techniques that can be easily applied at production sites have not yet been established. In this study, we demonstrated microvolume liquid analysis using low-energy laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) combined with a porous silicon substrate fabricated by metal-assisted etching (metal-assisted chemical etching) and a non-contact gas-blowing pretreatment. In the analysis of electropolishing solutions used for niobium superconducting cavities and stainless steel products, emission lines of niobium and of iron and chromium were successfully detected after blowing the respective microdroplet samples on porous silicon, and linear correlations were observed between the spectral line intensity and the polished amounts. The present results provide a basis for future on-site application of LIBS to highly corrosive electropolishing solutions in the metal finishing industry.