4.

CORROSION RESISTANCE
Corrosion is essentially an electrochemical process in which metal
ions react with the surrounding environment to form an oxide.
Current (electrons) flows between active areas on the metals surface
known as “anodic sites” to other areas known as “cathodic sites”,
forming the electrochemical cell. In terms of an ordinary carbon steel
which is approximately 98% iron (Fe), the figure below describes its
reaction with oxygen (O) which is present in the atmosphere. The
anodic areas may be remnants of mill scale, inclusions, discontinuities
or possibly the effect of pollutant on the oxide film of the metal.

Fe = Fe++ + 2e-
2e- 1/202 + 2e-=O--

Fe++ O--
iron air
4.1

The oxide scale formed is porous in nature and this allows continued
attack of the steel substrate. The only way to protect carbon steels from
this type of degradation is to surface them with some type of protective
coating eg., paint, oil or galvanising. Stainless steels derive their
corrosion resistance from the element Chromium. Any steel containing
10.5% or more Chromium is defined as a stainless steel. Chromium in
stainless steel results in the formation of a thin non porous Chromium
oxide film which acts as a barrier to protect the underlying metal
against further reaction with the corrosive atmosphere.
If damaged, this tightly adherent passive film will reform itself almost
immediately thus maintaining its protection.

The effect of Chromium content on resistance to atmospheric

corrosion, for various locations, is shown opposite:

This booklet is intended as a source of information, and as an ongoing service for the benefit of 3CR12 users and specifiers. However, Cromweld Steels
cannot be held responsible either for the suitability of the steel in question for any particular purpose, or for the performance or selection of the steel, on the
basis of the information contained herein or otherwise; unless Cromweld Steels has specifically authorised the purpose or selection. Cromweld Steels shall
not be liable in the event of a breakdown or malfunction occurring due to faulty design, material or workmanship of the steel, whether based on the
information contained herein or not, and shall not under any circumstances be liable for any damages, either direct or indirect, particularly consequential
damages, including but not limited to damages for loss of profits arising from the installation and use of such steel.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SPECIMEN WEIGHT LOSS AND ALLOY
CHROMIUM CONTENT FOR STEELS EXPOSED TO 4 YEARS IN
CITED ATMOSPHERES

Avg Penetration (mm)

0.12

0.1

0.08

0.06

0.04

0.02

0 4 8 12
Alloy Chromium Content (wt pct)
16
Semirural

Industrial

Marine
(Moderate)

Marine
(Severe)
4
COATED MILD STEEL STREET CABINET SHOWING
POOR RESISTANCE TO CORROSION

By increasing the Chromium content and by adding alloying elements

4.2
such as Nickel and Molybdenum, corrosion resistance can be further
enhanced making the steel resistant to aggressive chemicals and
solutions. This alloying has resulted in the wide range of stainless steel
types, typically generically grouped as ferritic, martensitic, austenitic
and duplex.

The corrosion performance of stainless steel depends upon a number

of factors, namely:-
Corrosive Medium
3CR12 CABINET AFTER 13 YEARS SERVICE
Concentration
Temperature
pH

The suitability of 3CR12 for a particular application can be determined

by reference to a large database.

05/99
 4. CORROSION RESISTANCE
An R indicates that the material is resistant to the named chemical up to the temperature shown, subject to limitations indicated by the
footnotes.NR indicates that the material is not recommended. ND indicates that No Data is available.

Stainless Steel 18/8 Molybdenum Duplex Ferritic- 3CR12

(302,304,304L, Stainless Steel Austenitic
321, 347) (316, 316L) Stainless Steel
Temperature - ˚C 20˚ 60˚ 100˚ 20˚ 60˚ 100˚ 20˚ 60˚ 100˚ 20˚ 60˚ 100˚
Aldehydes R1
R1
R1
R 1
R 1
R 1
R1
R 1
R 1
R 1
R1
R1
Acetic acid (10%) R R R R R R R R R R R ND
Acetic acid (glac & anh) R R NR R R R R R NR No Data
Acetic anhydride R2 NR NR R R NR R R R R2 NR ND
Ketones R R R R R R R R R R R ND
Acetylene R R R R R R R R R R ND ND
Acid Fumes R3 R3 R3 R3 R3 R3 R4 NR NR NR NR NR
Alcohols R R R R R R R R R R R R
Aliphatic esters R R R R R R R R R R ND ND
Alkyl chlorides R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R R R R5 ND ND
Alum R R6 NR R R NR R R NR No Data
Ammonia R R R R R R R R R R R R
Amyl acetate R R R R R R R R R R R R
Anillne R R R R R R R R R R R R
Antimony trichloride R5 NR NR R5 R5 NR R R NR NR NR NR
Aromatic solvents R R R R R R R R R R R R
Atmospheric
Industrial R7 No Data R No Data R No Data R7 No Data
Marine R7 No Data R No Data R No Data R7 No Data
Rural R No Data R No Data R No Data R7 No Data
Ascorbic Acid R1 R1 R1 R R R R R R R1 ND ND

4.5 Benzoic acid R R R R R R R R R R R R

Boric acid R R R R R R R R R R R R
Brines, saturated R8 NR NR R8 NR NR R R R NR NR NR
Bromide (K) soln. R9 NR NR R9 R9 R9 R ND NR NR NR NR
Bromine (+aqu.) NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR
Butyl acetate R R R R R R R R R R R R
Calcium chloride NR NR NR R8 NR NR R10 R10 R10 NR NR NR
Calcium disuilphide R R ND R R ND R R R R R R
Carbonic acid R R R R R R R R R R R9 NR
Carbon tetrachloride R R R R5 R R R R R R R R
Caustic soda & potash R R R6 R R R6 R6 R6 ND ND R6 R6
Cellulose paint R R R R R R R R R R R R
Chlorates of Na,K,Ba R1 R1 R1 R R1 R1 R R R No Data
Chlorine, dry R R R R R R R R ND No Data
Chlorine, wet NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR
Chlorides of
Na,K,Mg,Ca,Ni,NH4, Al,Sn,Zn R10 NR NR R9 R11 R11 R R ND R5 NR NR
Chlorosulphonic acid NA NR NR R10 NR NR No Data No Data
Chromic acid (80%) NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR
Citric acid R6 R6 R6 R R R8 R R R NR NR NR
Cresylic acids (50%) R R R R R R R R R R R R
Detergents, synthetic R R R R R R R R R R R R
Emulsifiers (all conc.) R R R R R R R R R No Data
Esters & ethers R R R R R R R R R R R R
Fatty acids (>C6) R R R R R R R R R R R R
Ferric chloride NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR
Fluorinated refrigerants,
aerosols, eg., Freon R5
R R R 5
R R R R R R 5
R NR
Fluorine, dry R ND ND R ND ND R R ND No Data
Fluorine, wet NR NR NR NR ND ND No Data NR NR NR
Formic acid R NR NR R R ND R R ND NR NR NR
Fruit juices R12 R R R R R R R R R13 NR NR
Gelatine R1 R R R1 R R R R R R1 R1 ND
Glycols R R R R R R R R R R R R
Hydrobromic acid (50%) NR NR ND NR NR ND NR NR ND NR NR NR
Hydrochloric acid (10%) NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR ND NR NR NR
Hydrochloric acid (conc.) NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR ND NR NR NR
Hydrocyanic acid R R ND R R ND R R ND R ND ND
Hydrofluoric acid NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR
Hydrogen peroxide (30%) R R R R R R R R R R R R
Hydrogen sulphide R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5
Hypochlorite (Na 12-14%) R14 NR NR R14 NR ND R14 ND ND R14 ND ND
Lactic acid (100%) R NR NR R R NR R R ND NR NR NR
 Temperature - ˚C
Lead acetate
Lead perchlorate
NR
Lime (CaO)
Manganate, potassium (K)
Meat juices
Mercuric chloride
Milk & its products
Molasses
Monoethanolamine
Napthalene
Nitrates\of Na,K,NH3,Ag
Nitric acid (<25%)
Nitric acid (50%)
Nitric acid (90%)
Nitric acid, fuming
Oil, diesel, petroleum spirits
Oils, essential
Oil, lubes with aromatic adds.
Oils, vegetable & animal
Oxalic acid
Perchloric acid
Phenol
Phosphoric acid (20%)
Phosphoric acid (50%)
Phosphoric acid (95%)
Phosphorous pentoxide
Stainless Steel 18/8
(302,304,304L,
321, 347)

R
R
R

R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
20˚

R1

NR

R6
NR
R
R
R
R
R
R

R
R
R

R
60˚

R1

NR
R
R
R
R
R
R

NR
R2
R
R
R
R
NR
NR
R
R
R
R
R
R
R1

R
R
ND
NR
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
NR
NR
R
R
R
R
NR
NR
R
R
NR
NR
R5
Molybdenum
Stainless Steel
(316, 316L)
100˚ 20˚
R
R

R
R
R
NR
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
NR
R
R
R
R
R16
NR
R
R
R
R
R
60˚
R
NR

R
R
R
NR
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
NR
NR
R
R
R
R
R10
NR
R
R
R
R
R
100˚
R
NR

R
R
ND
NR
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
NR
NR
R
R
R
R
NR
NR
R
R
R
NR
R5
Duplex Ferritic-
Austenitic
Stainless Steel
20˚
R

R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
NR
R
R
R
R17
R
R
60˚

No Data

R
ND
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
NR
NR
R
R
R
R
R
NR
R
R
R
R17
R
R
100˚

R
ND
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
ND
NR
ND
R
R
R
R
NR
R
R
R
R17
R
R

R
R

R
R
R
R
4
20˚

R6
R7
NR
R
R
R
R
R
R

NR
NR
R
NR
NR
NR
3CR12

R
60˚
R
NR

R
ND
NR
NR
NR
R
R
R
R
R15
R15
NR
No Data

R
R
R
NR
NR
R
NR
NR
NR
No Data
NR

R
R

NR
R
NR
NR
NR
100˚
R6
NR

ND
NR
NR
NR
R
R
R
R
NR
NR

R
R
R
NR

Pyridine R R R R R R R R R R R R
Sea Water R9 NR NR R9 NR NR R R R NR NR NR 4.6
Silicic acid R R R R R R R R R R R R
Sodium peroxide R16 NR NR R6 R16 R16 R R R NR NR NR
Sodium silicate R R R R R R R R R R R R
Sodium sulphide R R NR R R NR R R NR R6 R6 NR
Starch R R R R R R R R R R R R
Sugar, syrups, jams R12 R R R R R R R R R12 R12 R12
Sulphamic acid R18 NR NR R R19 NR R R NR NR NR NR
Sulphites Na,K,Mg,Ca,Al,Fe. R R R R R R R R R R R R
Sulphates R R R R R R R R R NR NR NR
Sulphur dioxide, dry R R R R R R R R R R R R
Sulphur dioxide, wet R NR NR R R NR R R NR NR NR NR
Sulphur dioxide, aq.soln(96%) R NR NR R R R R R R NR NR NR
Sulphur trioxide NR NR NR R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 NR NR NR
Sulphuric acid (<50%) NR NR NR R16 NR NR R R NR NR NR NR
Sulphuric acid (70%) NR NR NR NR NR NR R NR NR NR NR NR
Sulphuric acid (95%) R NR NR R NR NR R NR NR R15 NR NR
Sulphuric acid, fuming R R2 NR R2 R NR R R NR R2 R2 NR
Tannic acid (10%) R R R R R R R R R R R NR
Tartaric acid R R R R R R R R R NR NR NR
Trichlorethylene R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5 R5
Urea (30%) R R R R R R R R R R R R
Water, pure R R R R R R R R R R R R
Yeast R R R R R R R R R R R R
1 - not if chlorides present 11 - may cause stress corrosion cracking
2 - limited data 12 - when free of SO2
3 - depending upon the acid 13 - may cause contamination of product
4 - acid fumes dry,attack may occur if moisture builds up 14 - dilute hypochlorites can be used to sterilise some stainless
5 - anhydrous steel with extreme care
6 - depending upon concentration 15 - general corrosion may become excessive
7 - may discolour with time 16 - 10%
8 - in strong solutions only when inhibited 17 - in the absence of impurities
9 - pitting possible in stagnant conditions 18 - dilute
10 - possibility of pitting 19 - some attack at high temperatures

Conditions for avoiding pitting and crevice corrosion
1. Design vessels for complete drainage - avoid sharp corners and
stagnant areas.
2. Close crevices and lap joints by continuous welding.
3. Remove solids in suspension. Prevent sedimentation. Ensure
continuous agitation and adequate flow rates.
4. Use compressive non-absorbent gaskets or inert sealing com-
pounds.
5. Avoid damage of passive surface. Repair/restore any affected areas.
Pitting and crevice corrosion resistance
Exposure in chloride containing media can result in localised cor-
rosion. In order of increasing resistance to localised corrosion
3CR12<304<316<317L<DUPLEX 2205.