ABSTRACT

The experiment is called cation dissolving in the etching process. The purposes of this
experiment are to understanding etching procedures and knowing the etching and analysis
mechanisms. The working principle of this experiment is dissolving the surface of the
prepared metal specimen with etching reagent using a swap method and immerse so that the
surface can be visually observed. We use some tools and materials in this experiment. The
tools are petri dish, optical microscope, pipe, velvet fabric, sandpaper (grade 80, 100, 200,
400, 800, 1200, 1500, and 2000), and paper masking tape. The materials that we use are Nital
etching solution, Keller etching solution, aluminum AISI 1060 specimens, steel AISI 1020
specimens, autosol, resin, and catalyst. To experiment, first prepare the specimen to be tested
with cutting, mounting, grinding, and polishing stages. Then, take the etching solution and
put it on the petri dish for each solution. Insert the test metal into the etching solution, rinse
with tap water, and washed with an alcohol solution. After that, visually observe and macros
with an optical microscope. Then, explain the test material change and determine the right
pair of etching solution and test material based on visual observation and optical microscope.
The result of cation dissolve on etching process practicum is the data that be served by a table
in chapter IV with image form. From the practicum, we can conclude that the suitable
solution for the etching process on steel is the Nital solution and for etching process on
aluminum is Keller's solution.

Keywords: aluminum, etching, steel

TABLE OF CONTENT

ABSTRACK…………………………………………...………………………………………i
TABLE OF CONTENT………………………………...……………………………………..ii
LIST OF PICTURE…………………………………………………………………………..iii
LIST OF TABLE…………………………………………………………………………..…iv
CHAPTER I Introduction
I.1 Background………...………………………………………………………………….1
I.2 Problembs……………………………………………………………………………...1
I.3 Experiment Objective………………………………………………………………….1
CHAPTER II Review of Literature
II.1 Steel……………………………………………………………………………………2
II.2 AISI 1020……………………………………………………………………………...2
II.3 Aluminum……………………………………………………………………………...3
II.4 Metallography…………………………………………………………………………3
II.5 Etching………………………………………………………………………………...4
II.6 Surface Corrosion…………………………………………………….………………..5
II.7 Etching, Nital, and Keller…………………………………………….………………..6
CHAPTER III Experimental Methods
III.1 Flow Chart……………………………………………………………………………..7
III.2 Tools…………………………………………………………………………………...8
III.3 Materials……………………………………………………………………………….8
III.4 Working Steps…………………………………………………………………………8
III.5 Trial Scheme…………………………………………………………………………..9
CHAPTER IV Data Analysis and Discussion
IV.1 Data Analysis………………………………………………………………………...10
IV.1 Discussion……………………………………………………………………………10
CHAPTER V Conclusion and Suggestion
V.1 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………12
V.2 Suggestion…………………………………………………………………………....12
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Photocopied Attachment of literature
 LIST OF PICTURE

Picture 3.1 The flowchart of etching prosses………………………………………………….7

Picture 3.2 Practicum test scheme dissolving cation in steel etching process AISI 1045……..9
Picture 3.3 Practicum test scheme aluminum etching process AISI 1060…………………...10
 LIST OF TABLE

III.5 Trial Scheme

III.5.1 Scheme on the AISI 1045 steel etching process
The practical experiment scheme for cation dissolution in the AISI 1045 steel etching
process is as follows.

Figure 3.2 Practicum test scheme dissolving cation in steel etching process AISI 1045
Image information:
1. The specimen to be tested is prepared by cutting, mounting, grinding, and polishing steps.
2. The etching solution is taken.
3. The etching solution is placed on a petri dish for each solution.
4. The test metal is put into the etching solution.
5. After removing from the etching solution, rinse with tap water, and wash with an alcohol
solution.
6. Observed visually and macro with an optical microscope. The practical experiment scheme
for cation dissolution in the AISI 1060 aluminum etching process is as follows.
 III.5.1 Scheme on the AISI 1060 aluminum etching process
The practical experiment scheme for cation dissolution in the AISI 1060 aluminum etching
process is as follows.

Figure 3.3 Practicum test scheme dissolving cation in aluminum etching process AISI 1060
Image information:
1. The specimen to be tested is prepared by cutting, mounting, grinding, and polishing steps.
2. The etching solution is taken.
3. The etching solution is placed on a petri dish for each solution.
4. The test metal is put into the etching solution.
5. After removing from the etching solution, rinse with tap water, and wash with an alcohol
solution.
6. Observed visually and macro with an optical microscope.
 Chapter IV
Data Analysis and Discussion

IV.1 Data Analysis

IV.1.1 Steel Observation Result
Bellow is the data of steel observation result using an optical microscope
before etching, after Nital etching, and after Keller etching.
Table 4.1 Etching process of Steel specimen
Specimen Before etching Nital Keller

Steel AISI 1020

IV.1.1 Steel Observation Result

Bellow is the data of aluminum observation result using an optical microscope
before etching, after Nital etching, and after Keller etching.
Table 4.1 Etching process of Aluminum specimen
Specimen Before etching Nital Keller

Aluminum AISI
1060

IV.2 Discussion
In this practice, we perform the etching process on steel and aluminum. This practice
is done so that we can understand the etching procedures and know the etching mechanism
and analysis. The tools we need to be prepared are Petri cups, optical microscopes, pipes,
velvet fabrics, sandpaper (grade 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1200, 1500, and 2000), and paper
masking tape. The material that we used are Nital etching solution, Keller ethyl solution,
aluminum specimen AISI 1060, steel specimen AISI 1045, Autosol, yellow resin, and
catalyst. There are several steps to take in this practice. First, the specimen to be tested is
prepared with cutting, mounting, grinding, and polishing phases. Then, the etching solution is
taken and placed on the petri dish for each solution. Then, the test metal is inserted into the
etching solution. After being removed from the etching solution, rinsed with tap water and
washed with an alcohol solution. After that, visually observed and macros with an optical
microscope. Then, an explanation of the test material change is given.
In this practicum, we observed four specimens consisting of 2 aluminum specimens of
AISI 1060 and 2 steel specimens of AISI 1045. We do etching with Nital solution and Keller
solution for each metal test. The results of the practice of dissolving cation in the etching
process are the data in the form of images presented in table 4.1 for AISI 1045 steel and in
Table 4.2 for the aluminum AISI 1060. The pictures presented in the table are based on the
observation results using an optical microscope. From the 4.1 table, we can see that the steel
specimen given the Nital etching solution indicates that there are dark and light-colored
grains separated by irregular lines, and for steel specimens given by the etching of the Keller
is not showing any change in structure compared to the steel specimens before etching. From
the table 4.2, we can see that the aluminum specimen given the Nital etching solution showed
no changes in the structure compared to the aluminum specimen before the etching, and for
the aluminum specimen given the Keller Nital solution clear and there were areas such as
stroke and dark patches.
From specimen observation data, we can conclude that the steel specimen can only
react with Nital etching solution, and aluminum can only react with the Keller etching
solution.
 CHAPTER V
Conclusion and Suggestion
V.1 Conclusion
The conclusion of the practice of dissolving cations in the etching process is as
follows.
1. The first etching procedure is the specimen to be tested prepared with cutting,
mounting, grinding, and polishing phases. Then, the etching solution is taken and
placed on the petri dish for each solution. The test metal is inserted into the
etching solution, rinsed with tap water, and washed with an alcohol solution. After
that, visually observed and macros with an optical microscope. Lastly, an
explanation of the test material change is given.
2. A suitable solution for the etching process in steel is the Nital etching solution,
and for the etching process in aluminum is the Keller etching solution.
V.2 Suggestion
1. The practice must understand the theory and procedure of practicum.
2. Practice having to be patient and considerate when sandpaper specimens.