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Aluminium and Chromic Acid: Chemical Resistance

Aluminium

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
10 %AC
20 %AC
50 %C*–

* estimated rating, given in the source without a temperature

Material comparison at 20 °C

Chromic Acid: Material comparison at 20 °CAluminium: C (highlighted); ECTFE/ETFE: A; FEP: A; Viton (FPM): A; PTFE: A; PVC Rigid: A.ECTFE/ETFE: AFEP: AViton (FPM): APTFE: APVC Rigid: APVC Flexible: APVDF: APMP: BSS 304: BSS 316: BAluminium: CAlHDPE: CLDPE: CPolycarbonate: CPP: CPolystyrene: CSAN: CEPDM: DNBR: DNylon (PA): DPETG: DAcetal (POM): DPolysulfone: DSilicone: –
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

The resistance of Aluminium to Chromic Acid is concentration-dependent. Across the 3 tested concentrations (10 %, 20 %, 50 %), the 20 °C rating ranges from A at lower concentrations to C at higher ones. This means engineers must verify which concentration their process actually involves before relying on a single rating. 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

Chromic Acid is commonly encountered in chemical processing and laboratory work. Aluminium (Aluminium) is a metal typically used for vessels, heat exchangers, fittings and structural components. Because Chromic Acid is classified as corrosive, the choice of containment material is especially critical to prevent leaks, equipment damage, and safety hazards.

Practical recommendation

Aluminium has limited resistance to Chromic Acid 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, PVC Rigid, PVC Flexible, ECTFE/ETFE offer significantly better resistance and are rated A.

Did you know?

Aluminium 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

Based on the row for 50 %, 20 °C.

Thermoplastics
PVC Rigid A, PVC Flexible A, PMP B
Fluoropolymers
PTFE A, PVDF A, FEP A, ECTFE/ETFE A
Elastomers
Viton (FPM) A
Metals
SS 316 B, SS 304 B

About Aluminium

Aluminium relies on a thin oxide layer. Strong acids, strong alkalis and mercury compounds destroy that layer.

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.