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electro-etching-research-proposal/


Electro-Etching

Introduction
The toxic nature of the chemicals, solvents and acids used in traditional etching and require
the use of expensive equipment to make the print studio into a safe working environment.
Traditional methods of etching have become institutionalised into current practice if there is to
be a transition into using less toxic methods it will require behavioural change on the part of
current artist’s printmakers. There is anecdotal evidence that even in print centres and studios
committed to safe printmaking that members whose main practice is etching have a
preference for acid as a mordant over alternatives such as saline sulphate etching.
In previous research undertaken into safe etching techniques at, the Regional Print Centre in
Wrexham, and the Print Centre in Leinster in the Irish Republic, it was found that saline
sulphate etching could be considered as an alternative to but not a replacement for acid
etching. Saline sulphate was considered to be an unstable process in that it is not possible to
guarantee consistent or predictable results. There are also issues about the safe disposal of
the spent mordant. The objectives of that research were to explore the use of less-toxic
etching techniques as a potential replacement for traditional acid etching in the learning
environment and the artist’s home/studio. With the outcomes being to establish an ongoing
research ethos at the Regional Print Centre to explore, research and expand the use of less
toxic printmaking techniques.
The current proposal follows on from the previous research and the interest of the Print Centre
to form a research partnership with Glyndwr University. One of the methods explored was that
of galvanic etching or electro etching. We noted that despite all the interest in safe etching
over the last fifteen-years or so, there has been little take up of electrical etching which is
probably the safest and most environmentally friendly of all the alternatives to acid etching.
Don Braisby – Artist Printmaker
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Electrical / Galvanic Etching
A patent was granted to Thomas Spencer and John Wilson in 1840 for ‘engraving metals by
voltaic electricity’. Whilst experimenting with galvanic cells using copper and zinc plates
suspended in copper sulphate and sulphuric acid they found that copper was deposited on the
cathode or negative metal and that zinc anode was etched (diagram 1). Spencer went on to
use this process to plate small objects and to make printing plates
If two plates of copper are placed facing each other in a solution of copper sulphate (the
electrolyte) and connected to a direct current power supply, the current will flow through the
electrolyte from one plate to the other. The copper sulphate contains positive copper ions and
negative sulphate ions (diagram 2). When the power is switched on, the positive ions in the
electrolyte are attracted to the negative plate, and the negative ions are attracted to the
positive plate. The negative sulphate ions are attracted to any unprotected areas of the
positive (anode) plate and react with, oxidise and corrode the exposed surface of the metal.
The positive copper ions are attracted to the negative (cathode) plate and adhere to it.
The etching process is very simple. The plate to be etched is painted over with a protective
ground that is drawn into with an etching needle. This plate is attached to the anode (+) and
placed in the container with the electrolyte facing parallel with a clean plate that is attached to
the cathode (-) with a space of between 5 to 10 centimetres between the cathode and anode.
In this process there are no concerns about disposal of the copper sulphate because the
positive copper ions attach themselves as copper to the cathode plate and the same amount
of copper is removed from the anode plate and the electrolyte maintains its original
concentration. The electrolyte can be used indefinitely as there is no change to its state no
matter how often it is used. The stability of the electrolyte allows for a more accurate
calculation of the bite time than with acids or saline sulphate etching. Some of the advantages
of using electro etching are that the stability of the electrolyte means that the printmakers can
produce a consistent bite, no toxic gasses are produced, there are no waste products or any
sediment build up at the bottom of the tank Crujera, (2010).
Current Literature on Electrical / Galvanic Etching
In the literature we have identified four writers who are exploring the use of electrical etching
these are, Green, (2011), Crujera, (2010), Omri and Marion Behr (1993) and Semenoff, N and
Bader L. (1998). The methods used by these writers are modern versions of those used in the
nineteenth century by Thomas Spencer. They all use the salts of the metal being etched as
an electrolyte in varying degrees of solution.
Green and Berhr use the same type of metal for both the anode and the cathode. They all
concentrate on using the traditional metals for plate making i.e. Copper and zinc, for etching
copper sulphate is used as an electrolyte for etching copper and zinc sulphate for etching
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zinc. None of them mentions aluminium as a possible matrix. In personal correspondence
from Alfonso Cujera he explains that he had tried etching aluminium using aluminium sulphate
as an electrolyte but that this had been unsuccessful. Our own experiments with aluminium
and aluminium sulphate were also unsuccessful. While searching the literature on corrosion
we found a paper by A. Pollit and Ernest Benn in which they describe three types of
corrosion:
1. Auto corrosion
2. Contact corrosion
3. Externally induced corrosion
It is the third type of corrosion the externally induced that is of interest to us. This is said to
be the result of the passage through the metal of an externally induced current whilst it is in
contact with an electrolyte. Corrosion results when the direction of the current makes the
metal act as an anode. If the current flows in the opposite direction, from the electrolyte to the
metal the metal acts as a cathode and is protected from corrosion. This process is also
poetically described as the sacrificial anode because the anode corrodes and protects the
cathode from corrosion. Contact corrosion follows a similar process but without the added the
externally induced current. Sir Humphry David first described the sacrificial anode
phenomenon, and recommended that zinc strips be attached to the copper hulls of sailing
ships to prevent their corrosion. The seawater acts as the electrolyte, the copper having a
higher electrical potential becomes the cathode in the cell and the zinc the sacrificial anode.
Both contact and externally induced corrosion can be described as dissimilar metal corrosion.
Crujera (2010) in his paper describes that earlier experiments into electro etching with sodium
chloride had failed. We believe at that time he was using aluminium for both the cathode and
anode. An experiment was set up using sodium chloride as an electrolyte, aluminium as the
anode and stainless steel as cathode, the result was a successfully etched plate. An e-mail
was sent to Alfonso Cujera informing him of our success. He has gone on to replicate our
findings and put us in contact with Francisco Hermandez-Chavaria a teacher at Costa Rica
University who has also been carrying out experimental work in this area. This
correspondence is ongoing and is proving to be a valuable international collaboration. Nearer
to home, we have received some help from Professor Peter Excell of Glyndwr University. We
were experiencing the build up of gelatinous goo in the saline electrolyte that appeared to
slow down the etching process. From our experience with saline sulphate etching we thought
this might be aluminium hydroxide. He was able to confirm our suspicions and suggested that
we acidify the electrolyte. We ran a successful experiment using white vinegar. The vinegar
provides enough acidification to disperse the aluminium hydroxide without interacting with the
aluminium.
Why Aluminium?
Aluminium is readily available, cheap, light and easy to handle. A 2 x 1.5 sheet costs around
£30.00 to £40.00. The same sized sheet of copper or zinc would be well out of range for most
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studios or individuals to contemplate purchasing. Aluminium etches in a very different way to
other metals. With zinc and copper to achieve tonal graduations a separate process called
aquatint has to be applied to the plate. This requires the use of resin dust that is both
carcinogenic and highly flammable. The structure of aluminium means that it etches
progressively and has a natural aquatint giving a range of tones from light grey to black.
Research Proposal
Purpose
To explore and develop through an action research project the use of electro etching for its
potential as an alternative for traditional acid etching in the learning environment and the
artist’s home studio.
Objectives
1. To develop an action research programme by introducing printmakers to electro etching
through a series of workshops and to elicit feedback of their use and development of the
processes through further meetings and questionnaires.
2. To establish an ongoing action research programme to explore, research, develop and
promote electro etching as a technique and methodology for use in learning
environments and the artist’s home studio.
3. To establish whether or not electro etching methods are a viable alternative or
replacement for traditional acid etching.
4. To run a series of workshops based on learning from the action research programme.
5. To publish research findings and feedback through a weekly blog and magazine articles.
Methodology
Action Research
The research model that was identified as best fit for unleashing learning was Action
Research or Collaborative Enquiry using methods based on research ‘with’ rather than on
people. The focus of action research is on participants being actively involved in the research
and research decisions as full participants and co- designers and researchers ‘Action
research begins from where people are’. It is real world situations that are the area of interest
and focus (McNiff and Whitehead (2010) p.10). Rather than having a cause and effect based
traditional scientific hypothesis they suggest that research tends to be based on working
hunches such as ‘I wonder what would happen if we…?’ (ibid p.12)
Printmakers usually start out as artists first and identify print as their media of choice later
after being introduced to it through the work of other artists. Skills are learned through
workshops or self taught. If the techniques they have learned give them the results they want,
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they see no reason for change. The traditional methods of printmaking have become
institutionalised into current practice therefore the transition to using alternative processes will
require behavioural change on the part of many current printmakers. The research group will
be open to all members of the Regional Print Centre in Wrexham and others who attend the
workshops.
Interest in hosting workshops have been expressed by:
Regional Print Centre Wrexham
Glyndwr University
Leinster Print Centre Republic of Ireland.
Adam, R and Robertson C. (2007) Intaglio: the complete safety-first system for creative
printmaking, London: Thames and Hudson.
Behr, O and Behr, M. (1993) Etching and Tone Creation Using Low-Voltage Anodic
Electrolysis, Leonardo, Vol.26, No.1, pp 51-55
Crujera, A. (2010) Electro-Etching Made Easy
http://www.nontoxicprint.com/electroetching.htm
Engineers Edge, (2012). Galvanic Compatibility Table of Contents Dissimilar Metal Corrosion
http://www.engineersedge.com/galvanic_capability.htm Accessed 12/07/2012 pp.1-2
Ferrer, E.F, (2005) ‘There and back again: Etching’ Printmaking Today, vol14, no.1 Spring,
pp. 24-25.
Graver, G. (2011) Non-Toxic Printmaking, London: A&C Black Publishing Limited.
Gale, C. (2006) Etching and Photopolymer Intaglio Techniques, London: A&C Black
Publishing Limited.
Green, Cedric. (2011) Green Print: Non toxic alternative print methods
http://www.greenart.info/ Accessed 11/07/2012
Green, Cedric. (2004). A Short History of Electrolytic Printmaking, http://www.greenart.info/
Accessed 11/07/2012
Griffiths, A. (1996) Prints and Printmaking: An introduction to the history and techniques,
London. 2 .Ed, British nd Museum Press.
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Midas Technologies, (2010). Galvanic Corrosion Guide: Let the Buyer Have Faith.
http://www.midastech.co.uk/pdfs/TB002-Galvaniccorrosionguide.pdf Accessed 19/07/2011
McNiff, J. and Whitehead, J. (2010) You and Your Action Research Project. 3 .ed, London:
Routledge.
Reason & Bradbury, (2001) Handbook of Action Research. London: Sage,
Semenoff, N and Bader L. (1998) Etching on Aluminum and Zinc Using an
Improved Mordant, Leonardo, vol 31, No. 2, pp. 133-138. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1576516
Accessed 05/07/2012
Smith, A. (2004) Etching: a guide to traditional techniques, Marlborough U.K: The Crowood
Press Limited.
Grabowski, B. and Fick, B. (2009) Printmaking: a complete guide to materials and
processes, London: Lawrence King Publishing Limited.
Wernick, S., Pinner, R and Sheasby, P (1987) The Surface Treatment and Finishing of
Aluminium and its Alloys, 5 edition, Teddington: Finishing Publications Ltd.
http://www.visualarts.net.au (1989) Produced by Project Staff for the Community Arts Network
of Victoria and Redletter Community Workshop.
Wray, P. (2007) ‘Etching Made Easy’, Printmaking Today Vol 16, No 1 Spring, pp 25-25
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