When selecting fittings and connectors for microfluidic applications, ensuring chemical compatibility is crucial to maintaining system integrity and performance. Stainless steel is used in some fittings and connectors (needles, lock rings, etc.) due to its exceptional mechanical properties and resistance to corrosion, wear and impact. Its robustness in resisting a wide range of chemicals makes it a very good option for some environments.
However, like all materials, stainless steel has its limitations, and not every chemical is compatible with it. Therefore, understanding compatibility is essential for preventing degradation and ensuring safety. In this guide, we present a comprehensive table of chemical compatibility for stainless steel. This table, based on chemical compatibility data provided by IDEX, is designed to help engineers, technicians, and researchers quickly determine whether stainless steel is suitable for their specific applications, ensuring reliable and long-lasting performance in various chemical environments.
Refer to this table to make informed choices and maintain the efficiency and safety of your system.
💡 The chemical compatibility rating key is as follows:
- A = Little to No Effect
- B = Slight Effect (Minor Discoloration or Corrosion)
- C = Moderate to Severe Effect (Not Recommended)
🚨 The compatibility ratings provided in these tables are for general guidance only and may not be complete or accurate. They do not address potential contamination or changes in fluid properties due to tubing interaction. We do not guarantee the suitability of any material for specific purposes or the impact of tubing on fluid quality. For critical applications, conduct specific tests or seek expert advice.
Stainless Steel: Chemical Compatibility Table
| Chemical Substance | Compatibility | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A | ||
| Acetic acid, 100% | A | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Acetic acid, 20% | A | |
| Acetic acid, 60% | A | |
| Acetic acid, 95% | A | |
| Acetic anhydride | B | |
| Acetone | A | |
| Acetylene | A | |
| Aluminum acetate, 100% | B | |
| Aluminum chloride | C | |
| Aluminum hydroxide, 10% | B | |
| Aluminum sulfate, 100% | B | |
| Aluminum sulfate, 50% | A | |
| Aluminum, Molten | C | |
| Ammonia, 100% | A | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Ammonia, 40% | A | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Ammonium bicarbonate, 100% | C | |
| Ammonium bicarbonate, 90% | B | |
| Ammonium carbonate, all concentrations | B | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Ammonium chloride, 10% | B | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Ammonium chloride, 25% | B | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Ammonium chloride, 50% | C | |
| Ammonium nitrate | A | |
| Ammonium oxalate, 10% | B | |
| Ammonium oxalate, 5% | A | |
| Ammonium persulfate, 5% | A | |
| Ammonium sulfate, 10% | A | |
| Ammonium sulfite, 10% | B | |
| Amyl acetate | A | |
| Amyl chloride | A | |
| Aniline, 10% | B | |
| Aniline, 3% | A | |
| B | ||
| Barium carbonate | B | |
| Barium chloride, 10% | B | |
| Barium chloride, 5% | A | |
| Barium nitrate | B | |
| Barium sulfate | B | |
| Barium sulfide, 100% | B | |
| Beer | A | |
| Benzene | B | |
| Benzoic acid, 60% | B | |
| Benzol | A | |
| Boric acid, 10% | A | |
| Boric acid, 100% | B | |
| Bromine water | C | |
| Buttermilk | A | |
| Butyl acetate | A | |
| Butyric acid, 100% | B | |
| Butyric acid, 5% | A | |
| C | ||
| Calcium carbonate, 100% | B | |
| Calcium chlorate, 10% | B | |
| Calcium chloride, 10% | C | |
| Calcium hydroxide, 50% | B | |
| Calcium hypochlorite, 2% | A | Subject to pitting. |
| Calcium sulfate | B | |
| Carbolic acid, 10% | A | Subject to pitting. |
| Carbolic acid, 100% | B | Subject to pitting. |
| Carbon bisulfide | B | |
| Carbon monoxide | A | |
| Carbon tetrachloride | B | |
| Carbonated water | A | |
| Carbonic acid | B | |
| Chlorabenzol concentrate | A | |
| Chloric acid | C | |
| Chlorinated water, saturated | B | Subject to pitting. |
| Chlorine gas | B | |
| Chloroform | A | |
| Chromic acid, 10% | B | |
| Chromic acid, 5% | A | |
| Chromic acid, 50% | B | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Chromic acid, 70% | B | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Cider | A | |
| Citric acid, 10% | B | |
| Citric acid, 100% | B | |
| Citric acid, 5% Still | A | |
| Coffee | A | |
| Copper acetate, 10% | A | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Copper carbonate, 10% | B | |
| Copper chloride, 1% | A | Subject to pitting. |
| Copper chloride, 5% aerated | C | Subject to pitting. |
| Copper cyanide, 10% | A | |
| Copper cyanide, 100% | B | |
| Copper nitrate | A | |
| Copper sulfate, 10% | A | |
| Copper sulfate, 100% | B | |
| Creosote | A | |
| Creosote oil | B | |
| Cyanogen gas | B | |
| D | ||
| Developing solutions | A | |
| Dyewood liquor | A | |
| E | ||
| Epsom Salt | A | |
| Ether, 100% | A | |
| Ethyl acetate | B | |
| Ethyl alcohol, 10% | A | |
| Ethyl alcohol, 100% | A | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Ethyl alcohol, 40% | A | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Ethyl chloride, dry | A | |
| Ethyl glycol | B | |
| Ethylene chloride | A | |
| F | ||
| Ferric chloride, 1% | A | Subject to pitting. |
| Ferric chloride, 5% | C | Subject to pitting. |
| Ferric hydroxide | A | |
| Ferric nitrate, 10% | B | |
| Ferric nitrate, 5% | A | |
| Ferric sulfate, 10% | A | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Ferric sulfate, 100% | B | |
| Ferrous chloride | C | |
| Ferrous sulfate | B | |
| Fluorine | A | |
| Formaldehyde | A | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Formic acid, 5% | A | |
| Formic acid, 75% | B | |
| Furfural | B | |
| G | ||
| Gallic acid, 100% | B | |
| Gallic acid, 5% | A | |
| Gasoline | A | |
| Gelatin | A | |
| Glycerin, 10% | A | |
| Glycerin, 100% | B | |
| H | ||
| Hydrochloric acid | C | |
| Hydrocyanic acid | B | |
| Hydrofluosilic acid | C | |
| Hydrogen peroxide, 100% | B | |
| Hydrogen peroxide, 30% | A | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Hydrogen sulfide, 100% | B | |
| Hydrogen sulfide, 90% | A | |
| I | ||
| Iodine, 80% | C | |
| Iodoform | A | |
| L | ||
| Lactic acid, 100% | B | |
| Lactic acid, 5% | A | |
| Lard | A | |
| Linseed oil | A | |
| M | ||
| Magnesium chloride, 5% | A | |
| Magnesium chloride, 50% | B | |
| Magnesium sulfate, 100% | B | |
| Magnesium sulfate, 30% | A | |
| Malic acid | B | |
| Mayonnaise | A | |
| Mercuric chloride, 10% | C | |
| Mercury, 100% | B | |
| Methyl alcohol, 100% | B | |
| Milk | A | |
| Molasses | A | |
| Muriatic acid | C | |
| Mustard | A | |
| N | ||
| Naptha, 100% | B | |
| Naptha, crude | A | |
| Nickel chloride, 100% | B | |
| Nickel sulfate, 10% | A | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Nitric acid, 10% | A | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Nitric acid, 100% | B | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Nitric acid, 90% | A | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| O | ||
| Oils, crude & vegetable | A | May attack when sulfuric acid is present. |
| Oleic acid | B | |
| Oxalic acid, 10% | B | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Oxalic acid, 100% | C | |
| Oxalic acid, 5% | A | |
| Oxalic acid, 50% | B | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| P | ||
| Paraffin | A | |
| Phenol, 10% | A | |
| Phenol, 100% | B | |
| Phosphoric acid, 10% | B | |
| Phosphoric acid, 5% | A | |
| Phosphoric acid, 70% | B | |
| Picric acid | B | |
| Potassium bichromate | B | |
| Potassium bromide | B | Subject to pitting. |
| Potassium carbonate | B | |
| Potassium chlorate | A | |
| Potassium chloride, 10% | B | |
| Potassium chloride, 5% | A | |
| Potassium ferricyanide, 10% | B | |
| Potassium ferricyanide, 5% | A | |
| Potassium ferrocyanide, 10% | B | |
| Potassium ferrocyanide, 5% | A | |
| Potassium hydroxide, 10% | B | |
| Potassium hydroxide, 100% | C | |
| Potassium hydroxide, 5% | A | |
| Potassium nitrate, 100% | B | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Potassium oxalate | B | |
| Potassium permanganate, 10% | B | |
| Potassium sulfate, 10% | A | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Potassium sulfide | B | |
| Pyrogallic acid | B | |
| Q | ||
| Quinine Bisulfate | B | |
| Quinine sulfate | B | |
| R | ||
| Rosin | B | |
| S | ||
| Sea water | A | Subject to pitting. |
| Sewage | A | May attack when sulfuric acid is present. |
| Silver chloride | C | |
| Silver nitrate | B | |
| Soap | A | |
| Sodium acetate | B | |
| Sodium bicarbonate | A | |
| Sodium bisulfate, 10% | A | |
| Sodium carbonate, 10% | B | |
| Sodium carbonate, 100% | B | |
| Sodium carbonate, 5% | A | |
| Sodium chloride, 10% | B | |
| Sodium chloride, 5% Still | A | |
| Sodium hydroxide, 30% | A | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Sodium hyposulfite, 100% | B | |
| Sodium nitrate, 40% | A | |
| Sodium nitrate, 50% | B | |
| Sodium sulfate, 10% | A | |
| Sodium sulfate, 20% | B | |
| Sodium sulfate, 5% | A | |
| Sodium sulfide, 50% | B | |
| Sodium sulfite, 10% | A | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Sodium thiosulfate | A | |
| Stannic chloride | C | |
| Stannous chloride, 10% | A | |
| Stearic acid | B | |
| Sugar Juice | A | |
| Sulfur | A | Subject to pitting. |
| Sulfur chloride | B | |
| Sulfur dioxide, 100% | B | |
| Sulfuric acid (aerated) | B | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Sulfuric acid (air free) | B | Elevated temperatures may reduce resistance. |
| Sulfurous acid, 100% | B | |
| T | ||
| Tanic acid, 100% | B | |
| Tartaric acid, 50% | B | |
| Tin, molten | C | |
| Trichlorethylene | B | |
| V | ||
| Varnish | A | |
| Vegetable juices | A | |
| Vinegar | A | |
| Vinegar fumes | A | |
| Z | ||
| Zinc chloride, 50% | A | Subject to pitting. |
| Zinc sulfate, 30% | A | |
| Zinc, molten | C |
