CWRU ECS’s first speaker of the 2017 year was Found and Chief Technology Officer of Faraday Technology, Inc.: Dr. E. Jennings Taylor! His talk was titled “Electropolishing of Niobium Superconducting Radio Frequency Cavities in Low Viscosity, Water based Electrolytes: A Paradigm Shift from the Viscous Salt Film Model”.

Abstract:
Niobium superconducting radio frequency cavities (SRF) are required for the International Linear Collider as well as other high energy physics projects. In order for these cavities to achieve the required particle acceleration gradients, electropolishing is conducted as a final surface finishing operation. Conventional electropolishing of SRF cavities is based on the well-established viscous salt film paradigm and utilizes a viscous electrolyte consisting of a mixture of sulfuric acid (95-98%) and hydrofluoric acid (49%) in a 9:1 volume ratio. The hydrofluoric acid is included to re-move the niobium oxide film formed during electropolishing. In this contribution, I will describe the events leading to the development of an innovative electropolishing process for niobium SRF cavities using pulse reverse voltage waveforms in conjunction with low concentration (5%) aque-ous sulfuric acid electrolyte. One of my objectives is to report the specific technical milestones leading to the development of the pulse reverse voltage niobium electropolishing process. Addi-tionally, since paradigms provide the basis for scientific discovery as well as suppress observa-tions that do not fit the existing paradigm, another objective is to provide useful insights related to the pursuit of observations leading to potentially paradigm-shifting technologies and the implica-tions on discovering innovative applications. I will conclude that innovation requires a careful balance between fundamental understandings combined with pursuit of observations which do not necessarily fit the existing paradigm.