Metallurgical Engineering

materials and metallurgical engineering

Help! Field spot test for Stainless alloys

Does anyone know of some available reagents to aid in differentiating between
common s.s. alloys in the marine industry. Specifically – I have been directed
to use Hydrochloric/sulphurous acid test to spot molybdenum (a handy test to
determine 304 from 316). Where do I find sulphurous acid?? Another handy test
would be one for nickel- so I would know at least if I was dealing with an
austenitic.

I can purchase the whole shebang from Koslow, yet the full kit is kind of
expensive for someone who won’t use it often (I’m also trying to make
recommendations for others who aren’t metallurgists or process engineers).
Thank you for your help. It’s so cool that there’s a metallurgy NG!

Jonathan Klopman
Marine Surveyor

posted by admin in Uncategorized and have Comments (7)

7 Responses to “Help! Field spot test for Stainless alloys”

  1. admin says:

    Use a magnet to check austentic versus ferritic, martensitic or duplex.
    Austenitic castings will typically have some magnetic response, but less
    than nonaustentic materials. One spot test for nickel uses hydrochloric
    acid and potassium ferricyanide – I’m not sure that I would turn these
    chemicals over to nontechnical personnel. Better to pay the price for a
    Koslow system.

    A complete procedure for alloy sorting using chemical spot tests is
    given in the Military Handbook – DOD-HDBK-249 Metals and Alloys, Rapid
    On-site Identifaction of. This should be available for nominal cost
    through the DODSSP, the agency that handles federal documents. You can
    get information at http://www.dodssp.daps.mil/

    Good Luck.

    Larry D. Hanke, P.E.
    Materials Evaluation and Engineering, Inc.
    Practical Solutions Through Technology and Innovation
    (612) 449-8870
    http://www.mee-inc.com

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    JKlopman wrote:

    > Does anyone know of some available reagents to aid in differentiating between
    > common s.s. alloys in the marine industry. Specifically – I have been directed
    > to use Hydrochloric/sulphurous acid test to spot molybdenum (a handy test to
    > determine 304 from 316). Where do I find sulphurous acid?? Another handy test
    > would be one for nickel- so I would know at least if I was dealing with an
    > austenitic.

    > I can purchase the whole shebang from Koslow, yet the full kit is kind of
    > expensive for someone who won’t use it often (I’m also trying to make
    > recommendations for others who aren’t metallurgists or process engineers).
    > Thank you for your help. It’s so cool that there’s a metallurgy NG!

    > Jonathan Klopman
    > Marine Surveyor

  2. admin says:

    Follow up to previous post. You can also get DOD documents through
    DocCenter at http://www.doccenter.com/doccenter/ The cost will be higher
    than DODSSP, but service will be much faster for most documents.

    Larry D. Hanke, P.E.
    Materials Evaluation and Engineering, Inc.
    Practical Solutions Through Technology and Innovation
    (612) 449-8870
    http://www.mee-inc.com

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    Larry Hanke wrote:

    > Use a magnet to check austentic versus ferritic, martensitic or duplex.
    > Austenitic castings will typically have some magnetic response, but less
    > than nonaustentic materials. One spot test for nickel uses hydrochloric
    > acid and potassium ferricyanide – I’m not sure that I would turn these
    > chemicals over to nontechnical personnel. Better to pay the price for a
    > Koslow system.

    > A complete procedure for alloy sorting using chemical spot tests is
    > given in the Military Handbook – DOD-HDBK-249 Metals and Alloys, Rapid
    > On-site Identifaction of. This should be available for nominal cost
    > through the DODSSP, the agency that handles federal documents. You can
    > get information at http://www.dodssp.daps.mil/
    > JKlopman wrote:

    > > Does anyone know of some available reagents to aid in differentiating between
    > > common s.s. alloys in the marine industry. Specifically – I have been directed
    > > to use Hydrochloric/sulphurous acid test to spot molybdenum (a handy test to
    > > determine 304 from 316). Where do I find sulphurous acid?? Another handy test
    > > would be one for nickel- so I would know at least if I was dealing with an
    > > austenitic.

    > > I can purchase the whole shebang from Koslow, yet the full kit is kind of
    > > expensive for someone who won’t use it often (I’m also trying to make
    > > recommendations for others who aren’t metallurgists or process engineers).
    > > Thank you for your help. It’s so cool that there’s a metallurgy NG!

    > > Jonathan Klopman
    > > Marine Surveyor

  3. admin says:

    JKlopman <jklop…@aol.com> wrote in article
    <19980114230000.SAA14…@ladder01.news.aol.com>…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > Does anyone know of some available reagents to aid in differentiating
    between
    > common s.s. alloys in the marine industry. Specifically – I have been
    directed
    > to use Hydrochloric/sulphurous acid test to spot molybdenum (a handy test
    to
    > determine 304 from 316). Where do I find sulphurous acid?? Another handy
    test
    > would be one for nickel- so I would know at least if I was dealing with
    an
    > austenitic.

    > I can purchase the whole shebang from Koslow, yet the full kit is kind of
    > expensive for someone who won’t use it often (I’m also trying to make
    > recommendations for others who aren’t metallurgists or process
    engineers).
    > Thank you for your help. It’s so cool that there’s a metallurgy NG!

    > Jonathan Klopman
    > Marine Surveyor

    Hi Jonathan,

    Below is the acid test recipe for Mo presence detection from the Swedish
    cook book.

    "One drop of cocentrated hydlochloric acid is left on the polished surface
    for 3 to 5 minutes and then absorbed on the filter paper.
    One drop of 10% stannous chloride solution is placed on the paper.A few
    drops of 10% potassium thiocyanate solution are placed on a second paper
    and the two papers held togrther. In the presence of molybdenum a
    coloration ia obtained, pink or light red with small contents (0.2-0.5%)
    and brownish red with higher content."

    This book, by T.M. Noren & C. Pfeifer, Applied Steel Welding Metallurgy was
    published by ESAB, Goethenburg, Sweden

    Good luck with the recipe

    Alexnder Sharon
    Alberta, Canada

  4. admin says:

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    sharon wrote:

    > JKlopman <jklop…@aol.com> wrote in article
    > <19980114230000.SAA14…@ladder01.news.aol.com>…
    > > Does anyone know of some available reagents to aid in differentiating
    > between
    > > common s.s. alloys in the marine industry. Specifically – I have been
    > directed
    > > to use Hydrochloric/sulphurous acid test to spot molybdenum (a handy test
    > to
    > > determine 304 from 316). Where do I find sulphurous acid?? Another handy
    > test
    > > would be one for nickel- so I would know at least if I was dealing with
    > an
    > > austenitic.

    > > I can purchase the whole shebang from Koslow, yet the full kit is kind of
    > > expensive for someone who won’t use it often (I’m also trying to make
    > > recommendations for others who aren’t metallurgists or process
    > engineers).
    > > Thank you for your help. It’s so cool that there’s a metallurgy NG!

    > > Jonathan Klopman
    > > Marine Surveyor

    > Hi Jonathan,

    > Below is the acid test recipe for Mo presence detection from the Swedish
    > cook book.

    > "One drop of cocentrated hydlochloric acid is left on the polished surface
    > for 3 to 5 minutes and then absorbed on the filter paper.
    > One drop of 10% stannous chloride solution is placed on the paper.A few
    > drops of 10% potassium thiocyanate solution are placed on a second paper
    > and the two papers held togrther. In the presence of molybdenum a
    > coloration ia obtained, pink or light red with small contents (0.2-0.5%)
    > and brownish red with higher content."

    > This book, by T.M. Noren & C. Pfeifer, Applied Steel Welding Metallurgy was
    > published by ESAB, Goethenburg, Sweden

    > Good luck with the recipe

    > Alexnder Sharon
    > Alberta, Canada

    There is also a company called Koslow in Edgewater, NJ that make alloy
    ID kits for spot tests.  You can buy premixed reagent from them.

    DJB

  5. admin says:

    The first step to id of austentics is a magnet.  I know sometimes they are mildly
    magnetic after cold work but most often you can sort them from ferritics this way.

    Ron Lansing

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    JKlopman wrote:
    > Does anyone know of some available reagents to aid in differentiating between
    > common s.s. alloys in the marine industry. Specifically – I have been directed
    > to use Hydrochloric/sulphurous acid test to spot molybdenum (a handy test to
    > determine 304 from 316). Where do I find sulphurous acid?? Another handy test
    > would be one for nickel- so I would know at least if I was dealing with an
    > austenitic.

    > I can purchase the whole shebang from Koslow, yet the full kit is kind of
    > expensive for someone who won’t use it often (I’m also trying to make
    > recommendations for others who aren’t metallurgists or process engineers).
    > Thank you for your help. It’s so cool that there’s a metallurgy NG!

    > Jonathan Klopman
    > Marine Surveyor


    MEI-CHARLTON, INC.
    2233 SW Canyon Rd.
    Portland,  OR 97201-2499

    503-228-9663
    503-228-4065  fax

    m…@meic.com
    http://www.meic.com

    ***********************************************************************

    "Professional Engineers and Scientists solving materials problems"

    ***********************************************************************

  6. admin says:

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    Dennis J. Buckley wrote:
    > sharon wrote:

    > > JKlopman <jklop…@aol.com> wrote in article
    > > <19980114230000.SAA14…@ladder01.news.aol.com>…
    > > > Does anyone know of some available reagents to aid in differentiating
    > > between
    > > > common s.s. alloys in the marine industry. Specifically – I have been
    > > directed
    > > > to use Hydrochloric/sulphurous acid test to spot molybdenum (a handy test
    > > to
    > > > determine 304 from 316). Where do I find sulphurous acid?? Another handy
    > > test
    > > > would be one for nickel- so I would know at least if I was dealing with
    > > an
    > > > austenitic.

    > > > I can purchase the whole shebang from Koslow, yet the full kit is kind of
    > > > expensive for someone who won’t use it often (I’m also trying to make
    > > > recommendations for others who aren’t metallurgists or process
    > > engineers).
    > > > Thank you for your help. It’s so cool that there’s a metallurgy NG!

    > > > Jonathan Klopman
    > > > Marine Surveyor

    > > Hi Jonathan,

    > > Below is the acid test recipe for Mo presence detection from the Swedish
    > > cook book.

    > > "One drop of cocentrated hydlochloric acid is left on the polished surface
    > > for 3 to 5 minutes and then absorbed on the filter paper.
    > > One drop of 10% stannous chloride solution is placed on the paper.A few
    > > drops of 10% potassium thiocyanate solution are placed on a second paper
    > > and the two papers held togrther. In the presence of molybdenum a
    > > coloration ia obtained, pink or light red with small contents (0.2-0.5%)
    > > and brownish red with higher content."

    > > This book, by T.M. Noren & C. Pfeifer, Applied Steel Welding Metallurgy was
    > > published by ESAB, Goethenburg, Sweden

    > > Good luck with the recipe

    > > Alexnder Sharon
    > > Alberta, Canada

    > There is also a company called Koslow in Edgewater, NJ that make alloy
    > ID kits for spot tests.  You can buy premixed reagent from them.

    > DJB

    I have been under impression that Jonathan Klopman (an original inquirer) has
    been aware of Koslow’s kit availability on the market. He was rather looking for
    some more economical method.


    Alexander Sharon

  7. admin says:

    Alexander Sharon <shar…@cadvision.com> wrote in article
    <34C04F50.E3907…@cadvision.com>…

    - Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -

    > Dennis J. Buckley wrote:

    > > sharon wrote:

    > > > JKlopman <jklop…@aol.com> wrote in article
    > > > <19980114230000.SAA14…@ladder01.news.aol.com>…
    > > > > Does anyone know of some available reagents to aid in
    differentiating
    > > > between
    > > > > common s.s. alloys in the marine industry. Specifically – I have
    been
    > > > directed
    > > > > to use Hydrochloric/sulphurous acid test to spot molybdenum (a
    handy test
    > > > to
    > > > > determine 304 from 316). Where do I find sulphurous acid?? Another
    handy
    > > > test
    > > > > would be one for nickel- so I would know at least if I was dealing
    with
    > > > an
    > > > > austenitic.
    > > >SS Alloys with normal nickel content are NOT Magnetic. SS Alloys with

    only Chrome are magnetic. This is a basic test done in the scrap area
    routinely. Magnetic alloys are very low value compared to non-magnetic
    alloys