Chemical Resistance Chart
Stainless Steel Chemical Resistance Table
Check the chemical compatibility of Stainless Steel with various chemicals, solvents, alcohols and other products. Refer to the table below for guidelines on chemical compatibility however, because of variables beyond our control it should only be used as a general guide, no guarantee of service life can be given.
Please Note: The information presented in this chart comes from a respectable source, it is intended to be used only as a cross-reference guidance for selecting/specifying appropriate hose material for chemical compatibility.
Rating Code
- A Suitable
- B Limited service
- C Not suitable
- D No information
Service life
Service life is subject to the following notes
- Susceptible to intergranular corrosion.
- May cause explosive reaction.
- Susceptible to stress, corrosion, or cracking.
- Susceptible to pitting-type corrosion.
- Discolouration.
| A ____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Acetaldehyde | A | A |
| Acetanilide | B | B |
| Acaticacid | B1 | A1 |
| Acetic acid, glacial | B | B |
| Acetic acid 30% | B | B |
| Acetic anhydride | B | B |
| Acetone | B | B |
| Acetophenone | B | B |
| Acetyl chloride | B | B |
| Acetylene | A | A |
| Acrylates | B | B |
| Aclylic acid | B | B |
| Aclylonitrille | A | A |
| Alcohols | A | A |
| Alum | B | B |
| Alum acetate | A | A |
| Alumina | A | A |
| Aluminium acetate | B | B |
| Aluminium bromide | B | B |
| Aluminium chloride dry | A | A |
| Aluminium chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Aluminium fluoride | C | C |
| Aluminium hydroxide | A | A |
| Aluminium nitrate | A | A |
| Aluminium sails | B | B |
| Aluminium sulphate | B13 | A3 |
| Ammonia-dry | A | A |
| Ammonia-moist | A | A |
| Ammonium acetate | A | A |
| Ammonium bicarbonate (hot) | A | A |
| Ammonium bromide | C4 | C4 |
| Ammonium carbonate | A | A |
| Ammonium chloride-dry | A | A |
| Ammonium chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Ammonium hydroxide | A | A |
| Ammonium meta phosphate | A | A |
| Ammonium nitrate | A | A |
| Ammonium nitrite | A | A |
| Ammonium perchlorete (10%) | A | A |
| Ammonium persulphate | A | A |
| Ammonium phosphate | B | A |
| Ammonium sulphate | C1 | B |
| Ammonium Thiocyanate | A | A |
| Amyl acetate | A | A |
| Amyl alcohol | A | A |
| Amyl chloride-dry | A | A |
| Amyl chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Amyl chloronaphthalane | A | A |
| B ____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Butadlene | A | A |
| Butane | A | A |
| Butanol (Butyl alcohol) | A | A |
| Butyl acetate | A | A |
| Butyl amine | A | A |
| Butyl carbitol | A | A |
| Butyl phenols | B | B |
| Butyl mercaptan | A | A |
| Butyl stearate | A | A |
| Butyaldehyde | D | D |
| Butylamine | A | A |
| Butyric acid | B | B |
| C ____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Cadmium chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Calcium chloride-dry | A | A |
| Cadmium sulphate | A | A |
| Calcium acetate | A | A |
| Calcium bisulphita | B1 | B |
| Calcium bromide | C3 | C3 |
| Calcium carbonate | A | A |
| Calcium chlorate | B | A |
| Calcium chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Calcium chloride-dry | A | A |
| Calcium chloro hypochlorite | B | B |
| Calcium fluride | C | C |
| Calcium hydrochlorite | C | B |
| Calcium hydroxide | B | B |
| Calcium hypochlorite-moist | C34 | C34 |
| Calcium hypochlorite-dry | A | A |
| Calcium nitrate | B1 | B |
| Calcium oxide | A | A |
| Calcium silicate | A | A |
| Calcium sulphate | A | A |
| Calcium sulphide | A | A |
| Camphor | A | A |
| Cane sugar syrups | A | A |
| Carbolic acid (phenol) | B | A |
| Carbon dioxide-dry | A | A |
| Carbon dioxide-moist | A | A |
| Carbonated beverages | A | A |
| Carbonated water | A | A |
| Carbon disulphide | B | B |
| Carbon tetrachloride-dry | A | A |
| Carbon tetrachloride-moist | C34 | C4 |
| Carbon monoxide | A | A |
| Carbonic acid | A | A |
| Castor oil | A | A |
| Caustic soda | A | A |
| Cellosolve acetate | A | A |
| Cellesolve butyl | A | A |
| Cellulube | A | A |
| Chlorine-dry | A | A |
| Chlorine-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Chlorine trifluoride | D | D |
| Chloroacetlc acid | C34 | C3 |
| Chloric acid | C3 | C3 |
| Chlorinated water (saturated) | D | D |
| Chlorine dioxide-dry | A | A |
| Chlorin Dioxide-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Chlorobenzene | A | A |
| Chlorobromo methane | A | A |
| Chloronaphthalene | A | A |
| Chloro sulphonic acid dilute | A | A |
| Chloro toluene | A | A |
| Chloroform-dry | A | A |
| Chloroform-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Chromic acid | C14 | B |
| Chromic fluorides | C | C |
| Chromic hydroxide | B | B |
| Chromium sulphate | B | B |
| Cider | A | A |
| Citric acid | B | B |
| Cod liver oil | A | A |
| Coffee | A | A |
| Coke oven gas | A | A |
| Copper acetate | A | A |
| Copper chloride-dry | A | A |
| Copper chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Copper cyanide | A | A |
| Copper nitrate | A | A |
| Copper sulphate | B1 | B |
| Corn oil | A | A |
| Corn syrup | A | A |
| Cottonseed oil | A | A |
| Creosole | A | A |
| Creosote | A | A |
| Crude oil | C1 | B |
| Crude wax | A | A |
| Cutting oil | A | A |
| Cyanogen gas | A | A |
| Cyclohexane | B | B |
| Cyclohexanone | A | A |
| Cymene | D | D |
| D _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| DDT | A | A |
| Decalin | D | D |
| Denatured alcohol | A | A |
| Diancetone | A | A |
| Diacetone alcohol | A | A |
| Dibenzyl Ether | A | A |
| Dibutyl Ether | A | A |
| Dibutyl pthalate | A | A |
| Dibutyl sebacate | D | D |
| Dichlorobenzene | A | A |
| Dlchloroethane-dry | A | A |
| Dichloroethane-moist | C4 | C4 |
| Dichloroethylene-dry | A | A |
| Dichloroethlylene-moist | C4 | C4 |
| Dichlorophenol | B3 | B3 |
| Diesel oil | A | A |
| Dirthylamine | D | B |
| Diethyl Ether | A | A |
| Diethylene glycol | A | A |
| Diethylene phthalate | A | A |
| Diethyl sebacate | A | A |
| Di-iso butylene | A | A |
| Di-iso proply keton | A | A |
| Dimethyl anline | D | D |
| Dimethyl Formamide | A | A |
| Dimethyl phthalate | D | D |
| Disocyanate | A | A |
| Dimethyl sulphate | B | B |
| Dioctyl phthalate | A | A |
| Dioxane | A | A |
| Dipantane | A | A |
| E _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Epichlorohydrin-dry | A | A |
| Epichlorohydrin-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Epsom salt (mg sulphate) | A | A |
| Ethane | A | A |
| Ethanol | A | A |
| Ethanol Amine | A | A |
| Ethers | A | A |
| Ethyl acetate | A | A |
| Ethyl aceto acetate | A | A |
| Ethyl acrulate | A | A |
| Ethylene | A | A |
| Ethyl cellulose | A | A |
| Ethyl benzene | B3 | B |
| Ethyl chloride-dry | A | A |
| Ethyl chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Ethyl ethers | A | A |
| Ethyl micaptan | D | D |
| Ethyl pento chlorobenzene | A | A |
| Ethyl silicate | A | A |
| Ethylene | A | A |
| Ethylene chloride | A | A |
| Ethylene chlorohydrin-dry | A | A |
| Ethylene chlorohydrin-moist | C4 | C4 |
| Ethylene diamine | A | A |
| Ethylene glycol | A | A |
| Ethylene oxide | A | A |
| F _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Fatty acids | B14 | A |
| Ferric chloride-dry | A | A |
| Ferric Chloride-moist | C124 | C34 |
| Ferric hydroxide | A | A |
| Ferric nitrate | B | B |
| Ferric sulphate | B1 | A |
| Ferrous chloride-dry | A | A |
| Ferrous chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Ferrous nitrate | A | A |
| Ferrous sulphate | B4 | B |
| Fluoroboric acid | A | A |
| Fluorine-dry | A | A |
| Fluorine-moist | C | C |
| Formaldehyde | B | B |
| Formic acid | B | A |
| Freon | A | A |
| Fruit juices | A | A |
| Fuel oil | A | A |
| Fumaric acid | A | A |
| Furan Furfuran | A | A |
| Furfural | A | A |
| G _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Gallic acid | A | A |
| Gasoline | A | A |
| Gelatine | A | A |
| Glauber’s Salt | A | A |
| Glucose | A | A |
| Glue | A | A |
| Glutamic acid | B34 | B34 |
| Glycerin (glycerol) | A | A |
| Glycols | A | A |
| Green sulphate liquor | A | A |
| H _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Heptane | A | A |
| Hexachloroethane-dry | A | A |
| Hexachlorethane-moist | C4 | C4 |
| Hexal dehye | A | A |
| Hexane | A | A |
| Hexene | A | A |
| Hexyl alcohol | A | A |
| Hydraulic oil | A | A |
| Hydrazine | A | A |
| Hydrobromic acid | C4 | C |
| Hydrocarbon acid | A | A |
| Hydrocarbons, pure | A | A |
| Hydrochloric acid | C4 | C4 |
| Hydrocyanic acid | C14 | C3 |
| Hydrofluoric acid | C13 | C |
| Hydrofluorsilicic acid | C | C |
| Hydrogen | A | A |
| Hydrogen chloride-dry | A | A |
| Hydrogen chloride-moist | C4 | C4 |
| Hydrogen peroxide | B | B |
| Hydrogen sulfide-dry | A | A |
| Hydrogen sulfide-moist | B4 | A |
| Hydroquinone | B | B |
| Hypo | A | A |
| I _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Imol | A | A |
| Ink | B | A |
| Iodine | C | D |
| Isobutyl Alcohol | A | A |
| lso octane | A | A |
| Isopropyl acetate | A | A |
| Isopropyl alcohol | A | A |
| Isopropyl ether | A | A |
| K _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Kerosene | A | A |
| Ketchup | A | A |
| Ketones | A | A |
| L _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Lacquers | A | A |
| Lacquer solvents | A | A |
| Lactic acid | B14 | B1 |
| Lard | A | A |
| Lead molten | B | A |
| Lead acetate | A | A |
| Lead nitrate | A | A |
| Lime | A | |
| Lime Bleach | B | A |
| Lime-sulphur | B | B |
| Linoleic acid | D | D |
| Linseed oil | A | A |
| Lithium chloride-dry | A | A |
| Lithium chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Lithium hydroxide | B | B |
| Lubricating oil | A | A |
| M _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Magnesium chloride-dry | A | A |
| Magnesium chlorlde-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Magnesium hydroxide | A | A |
| Magnesium sulphate | B | A |
| Maleic acid | B1 | A |
| Mayonnaise | A | A |
| Mercuric chloride-dry | A | A |
| Mercuric chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Marcurous nitrate | B | B |
| Mercury | B | B |
| Mesityl oxide | A | A |
| Methane | A | A |
| Methyl acetate | A | A |
| Methyl acrylate | A | A |
| Methyl alcohol | A | A |
| Melhyl bromide | A | A |
| Methyl butyl ketone | A | A |
| Methyl chloride-dry | A | A |
| Methyl chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Methylene chloride | A | A |
| Melhyl ethyl ketone | B | B |
| Methyl formate | A | A |
| Methyl isobutyn ketone | A | A |
| Methyl methacrylate | A | A |
| Methyl salicylate | A | A |
| Milk | A | A |
| Mineral water | B | B |
| Mono chloro benzene | A | A |
| Mono ethanolamine | A | A |
| Morpholine | A | A |
| N _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Naphtha | A | A |
| Naphthalene | A | A |
| Naphthenic acid | B | A |
| Natural gas | A | A |
| Nickel acetate | A | A |
| Nlckel chloride-dry | A | A |
| Nickel chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Niter cake | B | A |
| Nitric acid | B | B |
| Nitroluene | B | B |
| Nitrogen | A | A |
| Nitrogen tetroxide | D | B |
| Nitro benzene | A | A |
| Nitro ethane | A | A |
| N-octane | A | A |
| O _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Octyl alcohol | A | A |
| Oils crude | A | A |
| Oils Vegetables | A | A |
| Oils minerals | A | A |
| Oleic Acid | B4 | B |
| Oleum (fuming H2SO4) | B | B |
| Oleum spirits | D | D |
| Olive oil | B | A |
| Oxalic Acid | C1 | B1 |
| Oxygen | A | A |
| Ozone | A | A |
| P _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Paint | A | A |
| Palmitic acid | A | A |
| Paraffin | A | A |
| Paregoric compound | A | A |
| Peanut oil | A | A |
| Pentane | B | B |
| Perchloric acid | B | A |
| Perchlore ethylene | A | A |
| Petroleum | A | A |
| Petroleum ether | A | A |
| Phenol (carbolic acid) | B | A |
| Phorone | A | A |
| Phosphate esters | A | A |
| Phosphoric acid | C1 | B1 |
| Phthalic acid | B1 | B |
| Pitric acid | B | B |
| Pinene | A | A |
| Pine oil | A | A |
| Plating solution chrome | C | C |
| Potassium acetate | A | A |
| Potassium bichromate | A | A |
| Potassium bromide | C | C |
| Potassium carbonate | A | A |
| Potassium chloride-dry | A | A |
| Potassium chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Potassium chromate | B | B |
| Potassium cyanide | B | B |
| Potassium dichromate | A | A |
| Potassium ferricyanide | A | A |
| Potassium fluoride | C | C |
| Potassium hydroxide | B3 | A |
| Potassium iodide | A | A |
| Potassium nitrate | B | A |
| Potassium permanganate | B | B |
| Potassium sulphate | B | B |
| Progallic acid | A | A |
| Propane | A | A |
| Propyl acetate | A | A |
| Propyl alcohol | A | A |
| Propylene | A | A |
| Propylene oxide | A | A |
| Propylene dichloride-dry | A | A |
| Propylene dichloride-moist | C4 | C4 |
| Pyridine | B | B |
| Pyrrolidine | B | A |
| Q _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Quinine | B | B |
| Quinine sulphate-dry | A | A |
| R _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Rosin | A | A |
| Red Oil | B | A |
| S _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Salicylic acid | A | A |
| Sauerkraut Brine | C | A |
| Sea water | A | A |
| Sewage | A | A |
| Silicon greases | A | A |
| Silicon oils | A | A |
| Silver salts | B | B |
| Silver nitrate | B | A |
| Skydrol 500 & 7000 | A | A |
| Soap solutions | A | A |
| Sodium | A | A |
| Sodium acatate | B4 | B |
| Sodium bicarbonate | A | A |
| Sodium bisulphate | B14 | A |
| Sodium bisulphite | B | B |
| Sodium borate | A | A |
| Sodium bromide | C | C |
| Sodium carbonate | A | A |
| Sodium chlorate-dry | A | A |
| Sodium chlorate-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Sodium chloride-dry | A | A |
| Sodium chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Sodium chromate | A | A |
| Sodium citrate | B | B |
| Sodium cyanide | B | B |
| Sodium dichromate | A | A |
| Sodium fluoride | C4 | C |
| Sodium hydroxide | B3 | B3 |
| Sodium hypochlorite-dry | A | A |
| Sodium hypochlorite-most | C14 | C4 |
| Sodium melaphosphate | A | A |
| Sodium metasilicate | A | A |
| Sodium nitrate | A | A |
| Sodium nitrite | B | B |
| Sodium perborate | A | A |
| Sodium peroxide | A | A |
| Sodium phosphate | A | A |
| Sodium silicate | A | A |
| Sodium sulphate | B3 | B |
| Sodium sulphide | B4 | B |
| Sodium sulphite | B | B |
| Sodium thiosulphate | B | B |
| Soybean oil | A | A |
| Stannic chloride-dry | A | A |
| Stannic chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Stannous chloride-dry | A | A |
| Stannous chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Starch, Aqua Solution | A | A |
| Steam | A | A |
| Stearic acid | B | B |
| Stoddard solvent | A | A |
| Strontium nitrate | B | B |
| Styrene | D | B |
| Sulphate black liquor | B | B |
| Sulphate green liquor | B3 | B |
| Sugar solutions | A | A |
| Sucrose solution | A | A |
| Sulphur-dry | A | A |
| Sulphur-molten | C | B |
| Sulphur chloride-dry | A | A |
| Sulphur chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Sulphur dioxide-dry | C1 | B |
| Sulphur dioxide-moist | C1 | B |
| Sulphur trioxide-dry | A | A |
| Sulphuric acid, 95% - 100% | A | A |
| Sulphuric acid, 80%-95% | B | B |
| Sulphuric acid, 40%-80% | C1 | C1 |
| Sulphuric acid, 40% | C1 | C1 |
| Sulfurous acid | C14 | C14 |
| T _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Tail Oil | B | B |
| Tannic acid | B | B |
| Tar | A | A |
| Tar bituminous | A | A |
| Tartaric acid | B | B |
| Terpineol | D | D |
| Tatraphosphoric acid | B | B |
| Tin molten | B | B |
| Titanum Tetrachloride | B | B |
| Toluene | A | A |
| Tolune diisocyanate | D | D |
| Transformer oil | A | A |
| Transmission fluid | A | A |
| Tributoxyethyl phosphate | D | D |
| Tributyl phosphate | D | D |
| Trichloro acetic acid | C34 | C4 |
| Trichloroethane-dry | A | A |
| Trichloroethane-moist | C4 | C4 |
| Trichloroethylene-dry | A | A |
| Trichloroethylene-moist | C4 | C4 |
| Tricresyl phosphate | D | B |
| Tung oil | A | A |
| Turpentine | A | A |
| U _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Uric Acid | A | A |
| V ____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Varnish | A | A |
| Vegetable juices | A | A |
| Vegetable oil | A | A |
| Versilube | A | A |
| Vinegar | A | A |
| Vinyl chloride | A | A |
| W ____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Water, potable | A | A |
| Whisky | B | A |
| Wine | B | A |
| Wood pulp | A | A |
| Wort | A | A |
| X ____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Xylene | B | B |
| Y _____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Yeast | A | A |
| Z ____________________________ | Stainless Steel 321 | Stainless Steel 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Zinc acetate | A | A |
| Zinc chloride-dry | A | A |
| Zinc chloride-moist | C34 | C3 |
| Zinc molten | C | C |
| Zinc sulphate | B | A |
Key
Rating Code
- A - Suitable
- B - Limited service
- C - Not suitable
- D - No information
Service life is subject to the following notes
- Susceptible to intergranular corrosion.
- May cause explosive reaction.
- Susceptible to stress, corrosion, or cracking.
- Susceptible to pitting-type corrosion.
- Discolouration.