Titanium Alloys HF(5%)+HNO₃(30%)

Chemical Etching Formula
TC1 Titanium Alloy with HF(5%)+HNO₃(30%)

This reference describes how TC1 Titanium Alloy responds to the HF(5%)+HNO₃(30%) etching formula. At a bath temperature of 34°C and concentration of as specified, the recipe holds an etch factor of about 2.30 and a typical production yield of 95.1%. It is intended as engineering reference data for design, sourcing, and process planning.

Formula Summary

The table below summarizes every parameter that defines this etching formula. Values listed as ranges scale with sheet thickness across the supported band.

HF(5%)+HNO₃(30%) Etchant System
— °Bé Concentration
1.190 Specific Gravity
34 °C Bath Temperature
Through etch (double-sided) Etch Depth Type
0.05-0.5 mm Thickness Range
0.18 mm Typical Thickness
0.12-1.36 m/min Conveyor Speed Range
0.17 m/min Typical Speed
60-600 μm Min Hole Ø Range
100-500 μm Min Line Width Range
11-109 μm Undercut Range
2.30 Etch Factor (EF)
95.1% Typical Yield (94.2-95.4%)

Why HF(5%)+HNO₃(30%) for TC1 Titanium Alloy?

For TC1 Titanium Alloy, the HF/HNO₃ blend works where chloride chemistries stall: fluoride dissolves the stable oxide, nitric acid re-oxidizes the metal, and the two cycle to give a steady etch. Concentration and temperature control are critical here because the rate is strongly chemistry-dependent.

Process Window & Bath Control

The process window for this HF(5%)+HNO₃(30%) formula centres on 34°C and as specified. Conveyor speed spans 0.12-1.36 m/min over the 0.05-0.5 mm thickness band; the typical operating point is 0.17 m/min. Every 5°C drop in bath temperature requires roughly a 30% reduction in conveyor speed to hold the same etch depth, so temperature stability is the single biggest lever on consistency.

Design Rules & Tolerances

Feature sizes scale with sheet thickness. For this formula the minimum hole diameter ranges 60-600 μm and the minimum line width ranges 100-500 μm across the 0.05-0.5 mm band, following the industry 1.2× (hole) and 1.0× (line) thickness rules. Single-side undercut ranges 11-109 μm, and the etch factor is about 2.30. Size your photomask by subtracting twice the expected undercut from each finished feature dimension.

Design Rule Summary
• Minimum hole diameter range: 60-600 μm
• Minimum line width range: 100-500 μm
• Single-side undercut range: 11-109 μm
• Typical etch factor (EF): 2.30

Yield & Production Economics

This formula delivers a typical yield of 95.1% (range 94.2-95.4%). At that rate, per-part economics are driven mostly by fixed photomask and setup cost for small batches and by sheet utilisation for large runs. The chemistry itself does not change with quantity, so the same recipe serves prototype and production volumes.

Typical Applications

Typical applications for TC1 Titanium Alloy processed with HF(5%)+HNO₃(30%) include medical implants, surgical instruments, aerospace brackets, and corrosion-resistant filters. The formula's tolerance band and yield make it well suited to medium-to-high-volume precision flat parts.

Process Equipment & Material Reference

On the shop floor, this TC1 Titanium Alloy + HF(5%)+HNO₃(30%) recipe is implemented on a wet chemical etching machine. The 34°C bath setpoint and 0.12-1.36 m/min conveyor range correspond to verified production envelopes on that equipment for through etch (double-sided).

The Titanium chemical etching guide reference goes one level above the recipe shown here, surveying the full thickness range, depth options, and common subgrades we run for titanium.

Production Use Cases for This Formula

Production examples for the TC1 Titanium Alloy / HF(5%)+HNO₃(30%) recipe span stainless steel mesh for aroma diffusers, ultrasonic mesh for robotic vacuum cleaners, and stainless filtration mesh for vacuum cleaners. In every case, the etch factor and undercut figures on this page are the dominant tolerance drivers — bath maintenance discipline matters more than equipment headline rating.

If your part falls into one of these classes — or a closely adjacent one — this formula is usually the right starting point. We confirm fit with a short sample run on the actual sheet stock before locking in mask artwork.

More Titanium Alloys Formulas

Other formulas in the same material family.

TA1 commercially pure titanium HF(5%)+HNO₃(30%) Through etch (double-sided) TA1 commercially pure titanium HF(5%)+HNO₃(30%) Through etch (double-sided) TA1 commercially pure titanium HF(5%)+HNO₃(30%) Half etch (single-sided) Ta1 Pure Tantalum HF(8%)+HNO₃(30%) Through etch (double-sided) TA2 commercially pure titanium HF(5%)+HNO₃(30%) Through etch (double-sided) TA3 commercially pure titanium HF(5%)+HNO₃(30%) Through etch (double-sided)

Frequently Asked Questions

Standard pre-treatment is degrease, micro-etch to activate the surface, rinse, photoresist lamination or coating, UV exposure through the artwork, and develop. Pre-treatment quality directly drives yield for TC1 Titanium Alloy: poor degreasing causes resist adhesion failures that show up as random pinhole defects in the etched pattern.
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Reviewed by
Chief Engineer, Wet Etching · WET Etched
Ph.D., Metallurgical & Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University

Sources & References

Standards are referenced for context. Always confirm parameters against the current published edition and your own process validation.

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WET Etched runs production wet chemical etching lines using the HF(5%)+HNO₃(30%) chemistry. Send us your part drawing and quantity for a full process quote.

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