Wernick, Pinner, and Sheasby describe large production tanks that use stainless steel cathodes.
Stainless steel is less conductive than either aluminum or lead, not that different from titanium. I haven't looked into this, but the right stainless steel alloy could be a viable lower cost alternative to titanium racking. We continue to recommend that no metals other than aluminum, lead, and titanium be allowed in the anodizing tank. Copper remains the worst common metal.
|