Method for dissolution of soft metals from a substrate of a harder metal

摘要

A method for selectively dissolving a soft metal from a substrate of a harder metal by application thereto of an organic nitrocompound and a carboxylic acid. The organic nitrocompound, upon exposure to the soft metal, oxidizes the soft metal to form a first soft metal salt. The carboxylic acid, upon exposure to the soft metal salt, reacts with the first soft metal salt to form a second soft metal salt that is soluble in the composition.