Common name |
Chemical name |
Formula |
Grade selection |
alum |
potassium aluminium sulphate |
KAl(SO4)2 |
304 or 316 useful at all concentrations, up to 50C |
aqua fortis |
nitric acid |
HNO3 |
Selection of stainless steels for handling nitric acid (HNO3) |
aqua regia |
nitric and hydrochloric acid mixture |
HNO3 and HCl |
Likely to attack most stainless steel, This mixture is used for dissolving gold. |
bleach |
sodium hypochlorite |
NaOCl |
Selection of stainless steels for handling sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) - Bleach |
caustic potash |
potassium hydroxide |
KOH |
similar selection as for sodium hydroxide |
caustic soda |
sodium hydroxide |
NaOH |
Selection of stainless steels for handling sodium hydroxide (NaOH) |
chromic acid |
chromium trioxide |
CrO3 |
304 or 316 useful up to 40%, 20C |
ethanol (alcohol) |
ethyl alcohol |
C2H5OH |
304 or 316 useful at all concentrations, up to boiling point |
glycol |
ethylene glycol (anti-freeze preparations) |
C2H4(OH)2 |
304 or 316 useful at all concentrations at ambient (or lower) temperatures |
gypsum |
calcium sulphate |
CaSO4 |
304 or 316 useful at all concentrations, up to boiling point |
Javelle (javel) water |
sodium hypochlorite |
NaOCl |
Selection of stainless steels for handling sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) - Bleach |
Labarraque's solution |
sodium hypochlorite |
NaOCl |
Selection of stainless steels for handling sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) - Bleach |
marine acid |
hydrochloric acid |
HCl |
Selection of stainless steels for handling hydrochloric acid (HCl) |
methanol (alcohol) |
methyl alcohol |
CH3OH |
304 or 316 useful at all concentrations, up to boiling point |
muriatic acid |
hydrochloric acid |
HCl |
Selection of stainless steels for handling hydrochloric acid (HCl) |
oil of vitriol |
sulphuric acid |
H2SO4 |
Selection of stainless steels for handling sulphuric acid (H2SO4) |
oleum |
concentated sulphuric acid |
H2SO4 |
Selection of stainless steels for handling sulphuric acid (H2SO4) |
rock salt |
sodium chloride |
NaCl |
Crevice and pitting corrosionhazard with most stainless steels, depending on conditions |
salt acid |
hydrochloric acid |
HCl |
Selection of stainless steels for handling hydrochloric acid (HCl) |
spirit of salt |
hydrochloric acid |
HCl |
Selection of stainless steels for handling hydrochloric acid (HCl) |
sulphurated hydrogen |
hydrogen sulphide |
H2S |
Can be a pitting or stress corrosion
cracking hazard to non-molybedum alloyed stainless grades |
wood acid |
acetic acid (mainly) |
CH3COOH |
Selection of stainless steels for handling acetic acid (CH3COOH) |