| 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) |