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Swagelok London

Your Authorised Swagelok Sales and Service Centre

Material Selection Guide

What is Corrosion?

Just about every metal corrodes under certain conditions.

Corrosion is the physical degradation of a material due to interactions with its environment. Corrosion occurs when a metal atom is oxidized by a fluid, leading to a loss of material in the metal surface. This loss reduces the wall thickness of a component and makes it more prone to mechanical failure.

Take these steps to reduce the impact of corrosion on your applications:

  1. Identify types of corrosion - what it looks like, where it occurs, and why it happens
  2. Select materials resistant to corrosion
  3. Minimize locations where crevice corrosion can occur
  4. Avoid the contact of dissimilar metals, which can cause galvanic corrosion
  5. Specify everything from the supports and clamps to the tubing itself to reduce the potential for corrosion
  6. Understand requirements and standards
  7. Learn more through training

Understanding Requirements and Standards

Selecting Materials Resistant to Corrosion

Identifying Types of Corrosion