Which Etchant Is Used for Steel?

Picral is a very useful etchant for iron and carbon steels. Often used for iron and heat-treated steels, pearlite and martensite. Cementite is stained a light yellow. This can be very useful in distinguishing ferrite from cementite.

What is the etchant used for medium carbon steel?

Metallographic Etchants for High Carbon Steels. The most common etchants for heat treated steels or martensitic microstructures contain picric acid dissolved in alcohol and acids.

Which etchant is used for steel samples during etching?

Nital, a Nitric Acid - Alcohol mixture, is the etchant commonly utilized with common irons and steels. Nital is dripped onto the specimen using an eye-dropper or cotton swab. Ten seconds to one minute is usually sufficient for proper etching depending on sample and nital concentration.