Electropolishing is an electrochemical process used both for laboratory applications and on a large industrial scale to produce a smooth, polished surface on a variety of metals and alloys. Studies conducted at Pacific Northwest Laboratory under Department of Energy sponsorship have shown that electropolishing is also capable of rapidly and effectively removing radioactive contamination from metal surfaces. Compositions ranging from mild steel, copper and aluminum to stainless steel and highly alloyed corrosion-resistant and heat-resistant materials have been successfully decontaminated using this technique. Electropolishing can be used to decontaminate, without prior disassembly, relatively complex components and shapes, including assemblies with moving parts, the interior of tubing, and threaded sections. Whenever required, special electrodes and techniques can be used for the in situ decontamination of components that cannot be accommodated in an electrolytic cell. Moreover, electropolishing effectively removes a variety of radionuclides including plutonium, uranium, radium, cobalt, strontium, cesium, and americium as well as contamination that is baked-on, ground-in, or otherwise difficult to remove using conventional decontamination procedures.
