Hastelloy C276


Complete analysis of Hastelloy C276 alloy (UNS N10276)

I. Implementation standards (classified by product form)

The technical specifications of Hastelloy C276 cover American standards (ASTM/ASME), European standards and national standards, targeting different product forms:
  • Plates/strips: ASTM B575 / ASME SB575;
  • Bars/forging billets: ASTM B574 / ASME SB574 (bars), ASTM B564 / ASME SB564 (forgings);
  • Seamless pipes: ASTM B622 / ASME SB622;
  • Welded pipes: ASTM B619 / B626 / ASME SB619 / SB626;
  • Unified identification: UNS N10276 (American unified numbering system, core general standard).

II. Name and Code

  • General name: Hastelloy C276;
  • Authoritative grades:
    • American standard: UNS N10276;
    • European standard: W.Nr. 2.4819 (Germany), NiMo16Cr15W (component abbreviation);
    • National standard: GB/T NS334 (Chinese corrosion – resistant alloy system).

III. Chemical composition (mass fraction,%, typical range of ASTM standard)

Hastelloy C276 is a nickel – chromium – molybdenum – tungsten – based super corrosion – resistant alloy, which resists extreme corrosion through the synergy of high Mo + W. Its composition is as follows:

 

Element Content Range Core Function
Nickel (Ni) ≈57 (balance) Stabilizes the austenitic matrix and resists stress corrosion
Chromium (Cr) 14.5 – 16.5 Resists oxidation, pitting corrosion and crevice corrosion
Molybdenum (Mo) 15.0 – 17.0 Resists reducing media (sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid)
Tungsten (W) 3.0 – 4.5 Strengthens resistance to chloride and humid chlorine gas corrosion
Iron (Fe) ≤7.0 Reduces cost and assists in strengthening
Cobalt (Co) ≤2.5 Impurity control (residual element, needs to be limited)
Carbon (C) ≤0.01 Avoids carbide precipitation and embrittlement
Manganese (Mn) ≤1.0 Improves hot working fluidity
Silicon (Si) ≤0.08 Optimizes casting/forging structure
Sulfur (S) ≤0.01 Inhibits hot working hot cracking tendency

IV. Mechanical properties (solid solution treatment state, typical value at room temperature)

After solution treatment (water quenching/air cooling at 1010 – 1150°C), Hastelloy C276 combines medium – high strength and ultra – high plasticity, and can be stably used at -200 – 400°C:

 

Performance Indicator Typical Value (Solution State) Remarks
Tensile Strength ≥690 MPa Can be further improved by cold working (e.g., reaches 800 MPa + after cold rolling)
Yield Strength (0.2%) ≥283 MPa Some standards require ≥355 MPa (need to be combined with specifications)
Elongation (%) ≥40 Excellent formability, supporting complex processing (rolling, welding)
Hardness (HB) ≤210 No age hardening (the austenitic matrix is stable, and aging has no obvious strengthening effect)

V. Heat Treatment Requirements

  1. Core Process: Solution Treatment
  • Temperature: 1010 – 1150°C (1050°C is commonly used, hold for 1 – 2 hours);
  • Cooling: Water quenching or rapid air cooling (to ensure uniform solid solution of Mo and W, prevent the precipitation of brittle μ phase and avoid hot brittleness).
  1. Hot Working Key Points:
  • Temperature: 1200 – 950°C (needs to quickly pass through the sensitization zone to avoid the precipitation of carbides/metal intermetallic phases at grain boundaries);
  • Cooling: Water cooling immediately after processing (same as solution logic, inhibit the precipitation of harmful phases).

VI. Main application fields

Hastelloy C276, due to its “resistance to multi – element corrosion (oxidation + reduction + chloride ions) + wide – temperature stability”, focuses on extreme corrosion scenarios:
  1. Chemical Metallurgy:
  • Sulfuric acid/hydrochloric acid production: Evaporators, heat exchangers (resistant to dilute sulfuric acid at ≤80°C and concentrated hydrochloric acid corrosion);
  • Chlor – alkali industry: (electrolytic cells, chlorine pipelines, resistant to humid chlorine gas and hypochlorite corrosion).
  1. Environmental Protection Desulfurization:
  • Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) system: (absorption towers, spray pipes, resistant to high Cl⁻ and SO₄²⁻ mixed corrosion, service life over 5 years).
  1. Marine Engineering:
  • Seawater desalination equipment: (membrane shells, pipelines), offshore platform fasteners (resistant to seawater/salt spray, resistant to pitting/crevice corrosion).
  1. Oil and Natural Gas:
  • Acid gas field pipelines: (containing H₂S/CO₂/Cl⁻), crude oil distillation towers (resistant to high – temperature corrosion).
  1. Special Scenarios:
  • Pulp bleaching: (resistant to ClO₂ and chloride corrosion), pharmaceutical/food: (resistant to chemical cleaning agents and high – temperature sterilization).

Supplementary Characteristics

  • Corrosion resistance advantage: One of the only alloys that can resist humid chlorine gas, chlorine dioxide, and high – concentration chlorides (FeCl₃, CuCl₂), and has extremely strong resistance to stress corrosion cracking (SCC);
  • Weldability: ERNiCrMo – 4 welding wire (AWS A5.14) is recommended, and heat input should be controlled (≤1.5kJ/mm) to avoid hot cracking;
  • Limitation: Not resistant to molten strong alkali (such as NaOH ≥300°C) and strong oxidizing acids (such as concentrated nitric acid + high – concentration Fe³⁺), and such environments should generally be avoided.

 

Hastelloy C276 is a “benchmark for universal corrosion – resistant alloys”, and its core competitiveness lies in the synergy of high Mo + W to resist extreme corrosion. When selecting materials, it is necessary to match standards and processing states based on medium type (oxidation/reduction), temperature, and stress level.
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