Corrosion Resistance of Copper and Copper Alloys

CDA No 106

(Data supplied by Copper Development Association for publication elsewhere as part of a table covering a wide range of materials)

An R indicates that the material is resistant to the named chemical up to the temperature shown, subject to limitations indicated by the footnotes. An 'X' indicates that the material is not recommended.

  Aluminium Bronze Brass (a) Copper Copper-Nickel 90/10 alloys (b) Gunmetal and Bronze (c)
Temperature, Celcius 20° 60° 100° 20° 60° 100° 20° 60° 100° 20° 60° 100° 20° 60° 100°
Acetaldehyde R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Acetic acid (10%) R R R X X X R R R R R R R R R
Acetic acid (glac./anh.) R R R X X X R R R R R X R R R
Acetic anhydride R R R X X X R R R R R R R R X
Aceto-acetic ester R R R R(82) X X R R R R R R R R R
Acetone R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Other ketones R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Acetonitrile R(36) X X X X X R(36) X X R(36) X X R(36) X X
Acetylene X X X R R R(82) X X X X X X X X X
Acetyl salicylic acid R R R No data No data No data R(36) X X R R R R R R
Acid fumes R(2) R(2) R(2) X X X R(2) R(2) R(2) R(2) R(2) R(2) X X X
Alcohols (mostly fatty) R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Aliphatic esters R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Alkyl chlorides No data No data No data X X X R R R R R R R R R
Alum R R R X X X R R R R R R R R R
Aluminium chloride R (20) R (20) X X X X R R R R R X R R R
Aluminium sulphate R R R R(119) R(119) X R(119) R(20, 119) R(20, 119) R R R R(119) R(119) R(119)
Ammonia, anhydrous R R R X X X R R R(83) R R R R R R
Ammonia, aqueous X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Ammonium chloride X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Amyl acetate R R R X X X R R R R R R R R R
Aniline X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Antimony trichloride No data No data No data X X X No data No data No data No data No data No data R X X
Aqua regia X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Aromatic solvents R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Ascorbic acid X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Beer R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Benzaldehyde R R R No data No data No data R R R R R R R R R
Benzene, pure R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Benzoic acid R R R R R R X X X R R R X X X
Benzoyl peroxide No data No data No data No data No data No data No data No data No data No data No data No data No data No data No data
Boric acid R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Brines, saturated R R R X X X R R R(20) R R R R R X
Bromide (K) solution R R R X X X R R X R R R R R X
Bromine R(20) X X X X X X X X R(11) R(11) R(11) X X X
Bromine liquid, tech. R X X R X X R X X R X X R X X
Bromine water, sat.aq. R X X R X X X X X X X X X X X
Butyl acetate R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Calcium chloride R R R X X X R R R R R R R R R
Carbon disulphate R X X R R R R R R R R X R R R
Carbonic acid R R R X X X X X X R R R X X X
Carbon tetrachloride R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Caustic soda & potash R X X X X X R R R R R X R R R
Cellulose paint R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Chlorates of Na, K, Ba R R R X X X R R R R R X R R R
Chlorine, dry R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Chlorine, wet X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Chlorides of Na, K, Mg R R R X X X R R R(20) R R R R R R
Chloroacetic acids No data No data No data X X X No data No data No data No data No data No data No data No data No data
Chlorobenzene R R R No data No data No data No data No data No data R R R R R R
Chloroform R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Chlorosulphonic acid R(20) R(20) X No data No data No data X X X R R R X X X
Chromic acid (80%) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Citric acid R R R X X X R R R R R R R R R
Copper salts (most) R R R X X X X X X R X X R R R
Cresylic acids (50%) R R R X X X R R R R R X R R R
Cyclohexane R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Detergents, synthetic No data No data No data R R R R R R R R R R R R
Emulsifiers (all conc.) R R R No data No data No data R R R R R R No data No data No data
Esters R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Ether R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Fatty acids (>C6) R R R X X X R R R R R R R R R
Ferric chloride X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Ferrous sulphate R(20) R(20) R(20) X X X X X X R X X X X X
Fluorinated refrigerants R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Fluorine, dry R R R(11) X X X R R R R R R R R R
Fluorine, wet X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Fluorosilic acid X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Formaldehyde (40%) R R R R X X R R R R R R R R R
Formic acid R R R No data No data No data R R R R R R R R R
Fruit juices R R R X X X R R R R R R R R R
Gelatine R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Glycerine R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Glycols R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Glycol, ethylene R X X R X X R R R R(175) R(175) R(175) R R R
Glycollic acid R(36) X X R(36) X X R(36) X X R(36) X X R(36) X X
Hexamethylene diamine X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Hexamine X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Hydrazine X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Hydrobromic acid (50%) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Hydrochloric acid (10%) R X X X X X X X X R X X X X X
Hydrochloric acid (conc.) R(62) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Hydrocyanic acid R(20) R(20) R(20) X X X X X X X X X X X X
Hydrofluoric acid (40%) R(62) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Hydrofluoric acid (75%) R(62) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Hydrogen peroxide (30%) X X X X X X X X X R X X X X X
Hydrogen peroxide (30-90%) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Hydrogen sulphide R(11) R R R(11) R R R(11) R R R(11) R(11) R(11) R(11) R R
Hypochlorites R X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Hypochlorite (Na 12-14%) X X X X X X X X X No data No data No data R R R
Iso-butyl acetate R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Lactic acid (90%) R R X X X X R R X R R X R(4) R(4) X
Lead acetate No data No data No data X X X X X X R R X X X X
Lead perchlorate X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Lime (CaO) R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Maleic acid No data No data No data No data No data No data R R R R R X No data No data No data
Manganate, pot (K) R X X R X X R(60) R(60) X X X X R(60) R(60) X
Meat juices R R R X X X X X X No data No data No data X X X
Mercuric chloride X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Mercury X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Methanol R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Methylene chloride R R R R(82) R(82) R(82) R R R R R R R R R
Milk & milk products R R X X X X X X X R R