Chemical Etching Formula
W-Cu Tungsten Copper with H₂O₂(30%)+NH₃(25%)

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.

Why H₂O₂(30%)+NH₃(25%) for W-Cu Tungsten Copper?

For W-Cu Tungsten Copper, H₂O₂(30%)+NH₃(25%) provides controllable, regenerable etching with predictable undercut. The chloride or acid species continuously break down the alloy's protective oxide while the oxidizer supplies the electrochemical driving force, producing clean, burr-free edges compatible with standard dry-film and liquid photoresists.

Process Window & Bath Control

Hold the bath at 60°C with concentration as specified (specific gravity 1.130). Across the 0.05-0.3 mm thickness range, conveyor speed runs from 0.12-0.98 m/min — thinner sheets move faster, thicker sheets slower, in roughly inverse proportion to thickness. A typical mid-range setpoint is 0.20 m/min for 0.15 mm stock. Use redundant PID temperature control to hold the bath within ±1.5°C, and titrate at least once per shift.

Design Rules & Tolerances

When laying out artwork for W-Cu Tungsten Copper at through etch (double-sided), plan for a minimum hole diameter in the 60-360 μm range and a minimum line width in the 100-300 μm range, depending on the chosen sheet thickness within 0.05-0.3 mm. The etch factor of ~2.25 and undercut range of 11-67 μm determine how much the mask must be biased to land the finished dimension on target.

Yield & Production Economics

This formula delivers a typical yield of 93.1% (range 92.8-93.4%). 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 W-Cu Tungsten Copper processed with H₂O₂(30%)+NH₃(25%) include X-ray collimator grids, electron-beam apertures, and high-density precision masks. The formula's tolerance band and yield make it well suited to medium-to-high-volume precision flat parts.

Process Equipment & Material Reference

This W-Cu Tungsten Copper formula is part of the standard process library running on our wet chemical etching machine. The same chemistry can be ported to any horizontal spray-etching line of comparable nozzle layout and bath-titration discipline.

Related to this formula, the Tungsten chemical etching guide page documents the full process envelope for the same alloy family, including pre-treatment chemistry and post-etch inspection criteria.

Production Use Cases for This Formula

Across the markets we serve, the H₂O₂(30%)+NH₃(25%) formula on this page is most often deployed for stainless filtration mesh for vacuum cleaners, high-speed air-intake mesh for hair dryers, and stainless steel shower-head filter mesh. These applications share thin-feature geometries that benefit from the predictable etch factor near 2.25 and the low single-side undercut documented above.

Designs that sit slightly outside this thickness or feature-size envelope are usually addressable by a sister formula in the same etchant family. The bath chemistry stays the same; the tuning shifts to conveyor speed and resist choice.

Other Metals Etched with H₂O₂(30%)+NH₃(25%)

The H₂O₂(30%)+NH₃(25%) chemistry is also documented for these alloys.

More Tungsten Formulas

Other formulas in the same material family.

Frequently Asked Questions