XPS Analysis of AISI 304L Stainless Steel Surface after Electropolishing

In the paper, the passive surface layers of AISI 304L after standard (EP50) and very-high-current density electropolishing (EP1000) in a mixture of orthophosphoric and sulfuric acids in a 1:4 ratio, are presented. The main finding of the presented studies is enrichment of the steel surface film in chromium: total chromium to total iron ratio was equal to 6.6 after EP50 and to 2.8 after EP1000; on the other hand, chromium compounds to iron compounds ratio was equal to 10.1 after EP50, and 3.9 after EP1000.