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SS 316 and Potassium Sulfide: Chemical Resistance

Stainless steel 1.4401 (AISI 316)

Rating

Concentration20 °C50 °CRemark
diluteAA

Material comparison at 20 °C

Potassium Sulfide: Material comparison at 20 °CSS 316: A (highlighted); EPDM: A; FEP: A; Viton (FPM): A; HDPE: A; LDPE: A.EPDM: AFEP: AViton (FPM): AHDPE: ALDPE: ANylon (PA): APMP: APP: APolystyrene: APTFE: APVC Rigid: APVC Flexible: APVDF: ASAN: ASS 304: ASS 316: A316NBR: BPolycarbonate: BPETG: BAcetal (POM): BAluminium: CECTFE/ETFE: –Polysulfone: –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 316 shows very good resistance (A) to Potassium Sulfide at dilute at 20 °C, meaning the material remains essentially unaffected by this chemical under standard laboratory test conditions. 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

Potassium Sulfide is commonly encountered in water treatment and laboratory work. SS 316 (Stainless steel 1.4401 (AISI 316)) is a metal typically used for vessels, heat exchangers, fittings and structural components. Because Potassium Sulfide is classified as corrosive, the choice of containment material is especially critical to prevent leaks, equipment damage, and safety hazards.

Practical recommendation

SS 316 can be used with confidence for Potassium Sulfide 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?

In industrial practice, SS 316 components exposed to Potassium Sulfide are typically inspected for swelling, discoloration, or loss of mechanical strength as early indicators of chemical attack.

Materials rated A or B at 20 °C

Based on the row for dilute, 20 °C.

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

About SS 316

Stainless steel 316 (1.4401) contains molybdenum, which improves resistance to chlorides over 304. Hydrochloric acid and other halide acids still cause pitting.

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.