Influence of work function variation on metal surface cleianing by vacuum arc discharge

Cleaning by vacuum arc discharge was applied to the descaling of a stainless-steel plate surface. The surface of the stainless steel becomes rough after treatment because the surface melts and fixes at the same time as the scale is removed by the discharge. Recent experimental results indicate that application of chemical agents to the scale before treatment leads to a smoother surface. Measurement of the scale surface with a Kelvin probe revealed that coating with chemical agents affected the work function.