The 'appropriate grades' notes are taken from the Avesta Sheffield Corrosion Handbook and are shown for general guidance only. Specific grade selection should be rechecked with corrosion tables. A link to the SST ORG web site article that describes where to find the corrosion tables on the Stainless steel tube corrosion can be found in the Related Links section of this article.
The table is referenced by the common name.Common Chemical Names
| Common name | Chemical name | Formula | Grade selection |
| alum | potassium aluminiumsulphate | 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) |
