Polyethylene Glycol‐Modified Resin Microbeads for High‐Efficiency Solid Electrochemical Polishing

ABSTRACT

Traditional electrochemical polishing relies on hazardous acidic electrolytes, posing severe environmental and safety challenges. While solid electrochemical polishing using electrolyte‐loaded ion‐exchange resin microbeads offers a sustainable alternative, its widespread application is restricted by the sluggish ion transport kinetics within the solid matrix. In this study, we developed a high‐performance rolling solid electrolyte by functionalizing poly(methacrylic acid‐co‐divinylbenzene) (P(MAA‐co‐DVB)) microbeads with polyethylene glycol (PEG). These composite microbeads were loaded with a neutral, eco‐friendly 0.3 M Na ₂ SO ₄ aqueous solution to process nickel workpieces. The PEG modification enhances the electrochemical performance through a dual mechanism: chemically, the abundant ether linkages (–C–O–C–) provide dense hopping sites for ion conduction; physically, the infiltration of PEG chains facilitates the segmental motion of the polymer matrix, effectively reducing the kinetic barrier for ion migration. This synergistic design results in superior polishing efficiency. Under a 50 V DC field for 30 min, the nickel surface achieves a mirror‐like finish, with the surface roughness (Ra) drastically reduces from 1.35 to 0.11 µm. These results demonstrate that the P(MAA‐co‐DVB)/PEG composite effectively overcomes the mass transfer limitations of conventional solid electrolytes, providing a promising approach for green and precise surface finishing.