Corrosion Characteristics of Titanium and Stainless Steel in Solutions Containing Nitric Acid, Citric Acid, and Magnesium Chloride

The corrosion characteristics of Type 304 corrosion-resistant steel (CRES), Type 316L CRES, and commercial purity titanium in chemical process solutions containing nitric acid, citric acid, and magnesium chloride were investigated at temperatures between 20 and 95°C for 24-h exposure periods. The testing was intended to simulate inplant corrosion problems and to provide information on which to base materials selection for replacement equipment. Analysis and results indicate that the Type 304 and 316L CRES materials had substantially less corrosion resistance to the corrosive solutions than commercial purity titanium.