Your best bet, if you can find a copy, would be to pick up any of the
versions of the ASM Handbook on Metallography. Its volume 8 or 10 depending
on the edition.
There are a variety of acids and bases that get used as etchants, depending
on the features you wish to show. Steel and irons are usually done in 1-5%
solutions of nital (nitric acid in ethanol) or picral (a dilute picric acid
solution).
These two are just listed as examples.
Best, Mark Hall
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