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Aluminium and Citric Acid: Chemical Resistance

Aluminium

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
10 %A–
50 %A–
saturatedA–

Material comparison at 20 °C

Citric Acid: Material comparison at 20 °CAluminium: A (highlighted); ECTFE/ETFE: A; EPDM: A; FEP: A; Viton (FPM): A; HDPE: A.Aluminium: AAlECTFE/ETFE: AEPDM: AFEP: AViton (FPM): AHDPE: ALDPE: ANBR: ANylon (PA): APolycarbonate: APETG: APMP: APP: APolystyrene: APolysulfone: APTFE: APVC Rigid: APVC Flexible: APVDF: ASAN: ASS 304: ASS 316: AAcetal (POM): BSilicone: –
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

Aluminium shows excellent resistance to Citric Acid across all 3 tested concentrations (10 %, 50 %, saturated) at 20 °C, making it a reliable choice for storage, transfer, and handling applications involving this chemical at any of the tested strengths. The rating remains stable between 20 °C and 50 °C, which means this material can also handle moderately elevated process temperatures without additional risk.

Application context

Citric Acid is commonly encountered in water treatment and metal finishing. Aluminium (Aluminium) 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

Aluminium can be used with confidence for Citric Acid containment and handling. The A rating indicates that the material shows no significant change in weight, dimensions, or mechanical properties after prolonged contact under test conditions. This holds true at both 20 °C and 50 °C, giving a good safety margin for typical process environments.

Did you know?

When choosing between metals for Citric Acid service, engineers consider not just the resistance rating but also factors such as permeation rate, creep resistance, and weldability.

Materials rated A or B at 20 °C

Based on the row for 10 %, 20 °C.

Thermoplastics
HDPE A, PP A, PVC Rigid A, LDPE A, Nylon (PA) A, Acetal (POM) B, Polycarbonate A, PVC Flexible A, Polystyrene A, Polysulfone A, PETG A, PMP A, SAN A
Fluoropolymers
PTFE A, PVDF A, FEP A, ECTFE/ETFE A
Elastomers
EPDM A, Viton (FPM) A, NBR A
Metals
SS 316 A, SS 304 A

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.