Electropolishing solution containing phosphorous pentoxide and methods of use thereof
AssigneeAbbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
InventorsSophia L. Wong, William E. Webler, JR., Dariush Davalian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Substantially anhydrous electropolishing electrolyte solutions. The substantially anhydrous electropolishing electrolyte solutions described herein do not use water as a solvent; instead, such electropolishing electrolyte solutions use anhydrous alcohols and/or glycols as a solvent. For example, an electropolishing electrolyte solution, as described herein, may include an alcohol, at least one mineral acid, and phosphorous pentoxide (“P2O5”). Methods of electropolishing metal articles using such electropolishing electrolyte solutions are disclosed herein as well.
Claims27
An electropolishing electrolyte solution, comprising:
- an alcohol;
- at least one mineral acid;
- and
- phosphorous pentoxide,
- wherein the electropolishing electrolyte solution is substantially anhydrous.
A method for scavenging water in an electropolishing electrolyte solution, comprising:
- positioning a substantially anhydrous electropolishing electrolyte solution in an electropolishing cell;
- adding a first quantity of phosphorous pentoxide to the substantially anhydrous electropolishing electrolyte solution;
- and
- electropolishing a metal article in the substantially anhydrous electropolishing electrolyte solution in the electropolishing cell, wherein water evolved during the electropolishing process is substantially scavenged by the phosphorous pentoxide and converted to phosphoric acid.
A method for electropolishing a metal article, comprising:
- positioning a substantially anhydrous electropolishing electrolyte solution in an electropolishing cell,
- wherein the electropolishing cell includes a reservoir configured to contain the substantially anhydrous electropolishing electrolyte solution, an anode and a cathode suspended in the substantially anhydrous electropolishing electrolyte solution and connected to an electrical power supply;
- adding a first quantity of phosphorous pentoxide to the substantially anhydrous electropolishing electrolyte solution;
- connecting a metal article to an anode and positioning the metal article in the reservoir in the substantially anhydrous electropolishing electrolyte solution;
- and
- running an electrical current through the substantially anhydrous electropolishing electrolyte solution via the anode and the cathode so as to electropolish the metal article, wherein water evolved during the electropolishing is substantially scavenged by the phosphorous pentoxide and converted to phosphoric acid so as to preserve the substantially anhydrous electropolishing electrolyte solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.