Iron & Carbon Steel Etchants

Please use the table below to select the correct etchant for your steel.

Type of Steel:
Etchant to Use:

Carbon steels and mild steels in general
Nital

Cast irons & tool steels (most)
Nital

Carburized or heat-treated carbon steels
First Picral then Nital

Microstructures of Steel:

Both ferrite grains and carbides
First Picral then Nital

General alloy segregation, carbide networks and grain-boundary of carbides, Bainite
Picral

As-quenched martensite, Ferrite grains and ferrite grain boundaries
Nital

Martensite, tempered
First Picral then Nital

Pearlite
Nital or Picral

Prior-austenite grains
Prior-austenite grain boundaries etch

Showing 1–10 of 13 results

Etchant Store