All organic and inorganic materials react with gaseous or liquid oxygen at a given pressure and temperature. That would cause a fire or an explosion. Due to these inherent hazards, process system design and control valve material selection are important.
- Resistance to Ignition in Oxygen
Materials are listed in order from hardest to ignite to
easiest to ignite. - Copper, copper alloys, and nickel‐copper alloys – most resistant
- Stainless steel (300 series)
- Carbon steel
- Aluminum ‐ least resistant
Rate of Reaction
Materials are listed in order from slowest rate of
combustion to most rapid rate of combustion.
- Copper, copper alloys, and nickel‐copper alloys – do
not normally propagate combustion - Carbon steel Stainless steel (300 series)
- Aluminum ‐ burns very rapidly
Note that stainless steel, once ignited, burns more
rapidly than carbon steel. Nevertheless, the austenitic
grades (300 series) of stainless steel are considered to
be much better than carbon steel because of their high resistance to ignition.
