Copper Stainless Steel Reaction

In the copper stainless steel couple the open circuit potential of stainless steel was found to play a decisive role.

Copper stainless steel reaction. In addition the area ratio of stainless steel to copper altered copper corrosion behavior. However mixing these metals is not generally advised due to the potential for sudden pipe corrosion and discolored water. Any corrosion product if washed onto stainless steel may however result in problems not associated with the bi metallic effect and so not be predicted from the tables. Galvanic corrosion can be controlled by the use of sacrificial anodes isolation of the metals from electrical continuance protective plastic coatings or epoxy coatings or with corrosion inhibitors.

I am constructing a project utilizing a knock down aluminum tube frame. Iron and steel are generally not a problem unless their mass is similar or smaller than that of the copper. There are three commonly used metals for potable water plumbing pipes including stainless steel copper and brass. If copper is connected to stainless steel type 304 then the copper will corrode to sacrifice to the stainless steel.

These metals are used because of their durability and long lifespans. The elbows must be permanently joined to one frame member at each knock down joint. Corrosion issues with aluminum copper and stainless steel 2004. Lead and copper are quite close on the nobility table to stainless steel and so the bimetallic corrosion risks should be small.

In most cases when stainless steel was in the passive state and acted as the cathode the contact accelerated copper corrosion.