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Etchant Selection Guide
The information provided here was gathered from published literatures and our own experiences. We DID NOT test all
the metals on this list. Users should make their own investigations to determine the suitability of the information for their
particular purposes.
If your metal is not on the list, or have questions regarding to the accuracy of this document, please contact us.
ES Laboratory Team
Iron & Carbon Steel (General)
Name Etchant
General microstructure (unknown grade) First Picral then 2% Nital
Bainite Picral
Both ferrite grains and carbides First Picral then 2% Nital
Carbide networks Picral
Cold-worked ferrite 2% Nital
Ferrite grains and grain boundaries 2% Nital
General alloy segregation Picral
Grain-boundary of carbides Picral
Granular bainite (martensite-austenite constituent) Picral
Martensite, as-quenched 2% Nital
Martensite, tempered First Picral then 2% Nital
Pearlite 2% Nital or Picral

Stainless Steel (General)
Name Etchant
General microstructure (unknown grade) Vilellas reagent
Austenite grains (austenitic stainless steel) Electrolytic etching (best)
or Marble's (second)
Carbides Vilellas reagent
Carbides, sensitized Vilellas reagent
Delta ferrite Vilellas
Ferrite grains (ferritic stainless steel) Kallings
Martensite structure Vilellas, Frys, or Kallings
Sigma phase Vilellas

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Super Alloy and Stainless Steel
Alloy Name Etchant
302HQ Frys
303SE Kallings 2
304 Frys or Marbles
316 Marbles
317 Marbles
321 Marbles
403 Vilellas
405 Vilellas
410 Vilellas
416 Vilellas
418 Vilellas
420 Vilellas
422 Vilellas
430 Vilella's
431 Frys
440 Vilella's
135 Mod (Nitralloy 135 Mod) Vilellas
13-8 PH Frys
15-5 PH Frys
17-22 Vilellas
17-22A Vilellas
17-4 PH Frys
21-6-9 Frys
300M Frys
A182 F51 Superalloy Etch
A286 Fry's
AerMet (All) Frys
AerMet 100 Frys, Kallings 2
AerMet 310 Frys, Kallings 2
AerMet 340 Frys, Kallings 2
AISI 664 (V-57) Kallings 2
Alloy 20 (20Cb-3 stainless) Vilellas
Alloy 901 (Nimonic 901, Pyromet 901) Kallings 2
Alloy 92 Frys
Alloy 925 Kallings 2
Alloy X Superalloy Etch
AM 355 Vilella's
Chrome Core 12-FM Kallings 2
Chrome Core 13-FM Kallings 2
Chrome Core 13-XP Kallings 2
Chrome Core 18-FM Kallings 2
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Chromoly Vilellas
Colmonoy Superalloy Etch
CK20 (Cast 310) Marbles
CRES (corrosion-resistant steel) Frys
Custom 455 Frys
D6AC Vilellas
Discaloy Superalloy Etch
ER308 Frys
FV535 Vilellas
Greek Ascoloy Superalloy Etch or Vilellas
GTD222 Frys
H11 Vilellas
H46 Vilellas
Hastelloy X (Pyromet 680) Superalloy Etch
HAYNES HR-120 Frys
HP 9-4-20 Frys
HP 9-4-30 Frys
Hy-Tuf Frys
Incoloy 800 HT Superalloy Etch
Incoloy 907 Frys
Inconel 706 Kallings 2
I600 Superalloy Etch
I713 Superalloy Etch
Inconel 718 Superalloy Etch or Kallings 2
Inconel 722 Frys
Inconel 783 Frys
I901 Superalloy Etch
I903 Superalloy Etch
I909 Superalloy Etch
Inco X 750 Superalloy Etch
Invar 36 Frys
JBK-75 Frys
Jethete Frys
Kovar Frys
Monel Frys
N155 (Alloy N155) Frys
N161 Frys
NCF3015 Kallings 2
Nickel 200 Kallings 2
Nickel 201 Kallings 2
Nimonic Frys
Nimonic C263 Superalloy Etch
Nimonic PE16 Frys
Nitralloy Frys
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Nitronic Superalloy Etch
Pyromet 720 Kallings 2
Pyromet 860 Kallings 2
Pyromet V-57 Marbles
Pyrowear 675 Frys
Pyrowear 675 Vilellas
T321 stainless Frys
Thermo-Span Frys, Kallings 2
TrimRite Vilellas
Trinamet stainless Vilellas
UDIMET 720 (U720) Superalloy Etch
Waspaloy Superalloy Etch

Carbon Steel and Alloy Steel
Alloy Name Etchant
1005 Nital
1010 Nital
1020 Nital
1040 Nital
1080 Nital
1137 Nital
4130 Nital
4140 Nital
4145 Nital
4330 Nital
4340 Nital
4620 Nital
6260 Nital
6304 Nital
8620 Nital
8650 Nital
8740 Nital
9310 Nital
CMV (CrMoV) Nital
D6AC Nital
MAR 200 (Maraging grade 200) Fry's
MAR 250 (Maraging grade 250) Nital, Fry's
Maraging C 300 (VASCOMAX C 300) Marble's

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Tool Steel
Alloy Name Etchant
51100 Nital
52100 Nital
A2 Nital
A6 Nital
D2 Nital
D3 Nital
H11 Nital
H12 Nital
H13 Nital
H21 Nital
L6 Nital
M2 Nital
M4 Nital
M42 Nital
M50 Nital
M52 Nital
O2 Nital
T1 Nital
T2 Nital
W1 Nital

Cast Iron
Alloy Name Etchant
Ductile cast iron (Nodular cast iron) Nital
Gray cast iron Nital
Malleable cast iron Nital
White cast iron Nital
Wrought iron Nital

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Aluminum Alloy
Alloy Name Etchant
1100 Keller's
206 Keller's
224 Keller's
308 Keller's
356 Keller's
357 Keller's
384 Keller's
390 Keller's
413 Keller's
520 Keller's
2219 Keller's
2618 Keller's
3003 Keller's
6061 T6 Keller's
7075 Keller's
2024 T6 Keller's
Cast aluminum (most) Keller's

Titanium Alloys
Alloy Name Etchant
Titanium alloys (Unknown grade) Kroll's
Beta C Kroll's
CP Ti (Commercially pure titanium) Kroll's
Ti 15-3 Kroll's
Ti 21S (Beta 21S) Kroll's
Ti 3-2.5 (Ti 3Al-2.5V) Kroll's
Ti 5-2.5 (Ti 5Al-2.5V) Kroll's
Ti 6-2-4-2 (Ti 6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo) Kroll's
Ti 6-4 (Ti 6Al-4) Kroll's
Ti 6-6-2 (Ti 6Al-6V-2Sn) Kroll's
Alpha case detection First Kroll's then Alpha Case Etch