Titanium plates that are resistant to corrosion from sulfuric and hydrochloric acid: A precision choice for industrial anti-corrosion.
When it comes to the production, storage and processing of strong acids such as sulfuric and hydrochloric acid, conventional metals are prone to failure. Thanks to their sophisticated alloy design and microstructure control, Titanium Plates have become a reliable solution in such harsh working conditions, especially when made from special grades such as GR12 (Ti-0.3Mo-0.8Ni) and GR7 (Ti-0.2Pd).
Material properties: Precisely matching acid corrosion environments
Targeted advantages of special alloy grades
GR12 titanium plates: Adding 0.3% molybdenum and 0.8% nickel significantly enhances corrosion resistance in sulfuric acid concentrations of up to 50% at temperatures below 60°C, as well as in reducing hydrochloric acid media. Its pitting resistance is far superior to that of 304 stainless steel.
GR7 titanium plates: Containing a small amount of palladium (0.2%), they can undergo catalytic passivation film regeneration and therefore serve long-term in boiling dilute sulfuric acid (≤10%). They are suitable for lining the plates of pickling production line tanks.
Process guarantee for microstructure:
The cold rolling and vacuum annealing process is adopted to control the grain size at level 58, avoiding grain boundary carbide precipitation and reducing micro-battery corrosion sources. Electrolytic pickling (nitric acid/hydrofluoric acid mixed solution) forms a uniform oxide film on the surface with a thickness of approximately 25 nm, which acts as the first barrier to prevent acid permeation.
Refined practices in industrial application scenarios
Core components of acid filtration systems
Powder-sintered porous titanium plates (porosity 35–40%) are used to purify nickel sulfate electrolyte with an adjustable filtration precision of 150 µm. In an acidic environment at 80°C, the flux attenuation rate is less than 5% per year and the service life is more than three times that of stainless steel filter elements.
The plate filter elements are sealed and edge-wrapped using argon arc welding to withstand a filter pressure of 0.5 MPa and avoid brittle cracking of the welds due to acid corrosion.
Structural component design resistant to composite corrosion.
Steel-lined titanium composite storage tanks (such as those for storing and transporting dilute sulfuric acid): 2 mm thick GR12 titanium plate lining and a Q345R steel shell. The explosive cladding process achieves an interface bonding strength of ≥210 MPa, reducing costs by 40% compared to pure titanium tanks.
Electrolytic copper-titanium starter sheets: The in-situ formation of a Ti₅O₉ nanocrystalline passivation film on the surface replaces the traditional copper starter sheet spray separating agent process. This reduces cathode copper stripping force by 60% and eliminates copper electrolyte pollution.
Economic balance between titanium plates and nickel-based alloys:
In chloride-containing mixed acid systems (e.g. hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid), Hastelloy C-276 has excellent corrosion resistance, but it is 6–8 times more expensive than titanium plates. Actual measurements show that:
In a medium of 20% H₂SO₄ and 1% HCl at 60°C, the annual corrosion rate of GR12 is less than 0.05 mm per year, which fully meets the requirements of most chemical industry scenarios. Meanwhile, the unit price is only one quarter of that of Alloy 59 (N06059).
Key control of anti-corrosion in manufacturing processes:
Welding protection: Use trailing shield argon extension protection for at least 30 seconds to ensure the weld is silvery white (without any oxide colouring), thus avoiding corrosion resistance degradation caused by β-phase precipitation.
Surface treatment: Spraying with pure water after pickling and drying at 120°C with residual chloride ions of less than 10 ppm to prevent stress corrosion.
The value of acid-resistant titanium plates stems from precise material design and process details. This ranges from the synergistic corrosion resistance mechanism of the GR12 alloy containing molybdenum and nickel, to the control of the microporous structure of porous filter plates, to the parameters of the explosive welding of composite equipment. Refined innovations in each of these areas are creating longer-cycle, lower-cost solutions for chemical anti-corrosion. For corrosion data sheets of GR7/GR12 titanium plates under specific concentrations and temperatures, please consult our professionals!