Electroetching is a metal etching process that uses a solution of an electrolyte, an anode, and a cathode. The metal piece you want to etch is connected to the positive terminal of a source of direct electric current. To reduce unwanted electrochemical reactions, the anode and cathode should be of the same metal. The cation in the electrolyte should also be of the same metal as the metal in the battery.

When the current source is turned on, the anode metal dissolves and turns into the same cation as in the electrolyte, and at the same time, an equal amount of the cation in the solution turns into metal and is deposited on the cathode. Depending on the voltage used and the electrolyte concentration at the anode and cathode, other, more complex electrochemical effects may occur, but the main ones are dissolution at the anode and deposition at the cathode where.

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