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SS 304 and Chlorine Dioxide: Chemical Resistance

Stainless steel 1.4301 (AISI 304)

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
concentration not statedCD

Material comparison at 20 °C

Chlorine Dioxide: Material comparison at 20 °CSS 304: C (highlighted); Viton (FPM): A; PTFE: A; PVDF: B; Aluminium: C; Polycarbonate: C.Viton (FPM): APTFE: APVDF: BAluminium: CPolycarbonate: CAcetal (POM): CPP: CSS 304: C304SS 316: CEPDM: DNBR: DNylon (PA): DECTFE/ETFE: –FEP: –HDPE: –LDPE: –PETG: –PMP: –Polystyrene: –Polysulfone: –PVC Rigid: –PVC Flexible: –SAN: –Silicone: –
A very good resistanceB good resistanceC limited resistanceD not resistantno data
Each bar is one material. Taller bars indicate better resistance. The highlighted bar is the current material.

Resistance overview

SS 304 has limited resistance (C) to Chlorine Dioxide at 20 °C. This indicates that the chemical has a noticeable effect on the material, which may include visible swelling, softening, or a measurable loss of tensile strength. Use is generally limited to short-term or intermittent contact where full structural integrity is not required. However, at 50 °C the resistance rating drops, indicating that temperature must be factored into the design. For heated applications, additional testing under actual service conditions is strongly recommended.

Application context

Chlorine Dioxide is commonly encountered in chemical processing and water disinfection. SS 304 (Stainless steel 1.4301 (AISI 304)) is a metal typically used for vessels, heat exchangers, fittings and structural components. The compatibility between these two is therefore an important consideration for engineers and procurement teams selecting containment, transfer, or processing equipment.

Practical recommendation

SS 304 has limited resistance to Chlorine Dioxide and should only be used for short-term or intermittent contact at ambient temperature. The C rating means the material undergoes noticeable changes — swelling, loss of strength, or surface degradation — that make it unsuitable for permanent installations. For prolonged or continuous exposure, PTFE, Viton (FPM) offer significantly better resistance and are rated A.

Did you know?

Stainless steel 1.4301 (AISI 304) is commonly chosen for vessels, heat exchangers, fittings and structural components because of its combination of chemical resistance, mechanical strength, and cost-effectiveness.

Materials rated A or B at 20 °C

Fluoropolymers
PTFE A, PVDF B
Elastomers
Viton (FPM) A

About SS 304

Stainless steel 304 (1.4301) resists oxidising acids and most organic chemicals. Chlorides cause pitting and stress-corrosion cracking.

Rating scale

A rating marked * is an estimate in the source, not a test result. An estimate is given as one value without a temperature.

About this data

The ratings come from the chemical resistance list published by Bürkle GmbH, which compiled them from raw-material manufacturers’ data. They describe laboratory tests on the raw material at 20 °C and 50 °C.

A finished part also sees pressure, mechanical stress, welds and mixtures that a laboratory test does not. Treat the rating as a first filter and test under your own conditions before relying on it.