Passivation and pickling for stainless steel

Passivation of stainless steel is a process of chemical erosion of the iron on the surface.

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This coating improves the metal’s resistance to corrosion that develops as a result of oxidation processes. Despite the fact that stainless steel is rust resistant, exposure to air (oxygen) will cause corrosion to form gradually. The passivation, as stated, inhibits this process.

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The passivation (chemical coating) process removes the ferrous component from the stainless steel alloy. The coating is transparent, with no pigment, and does not affect the dimensions or mechanical properties of the component (0 microns). The coating gives the stainless steel the necessary resistance to corrosion. A component that has undergone passivation is resistant to two hours in a salt cell.

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Standards: Passivation for stainless steel is performed in compliance with QQ-P-35, ASTM-2700 and AMS-967A standards.

 

The pickling process, which is chemical erosion with a matt finish, does not cover up the surface texture of milling or scratches. In recent years, pickling has been in use in the metal industry as a preparation process for passivation and electropolishing.