Hastelloy® B is a nickel–molybdenum-based alloy renowned for its exceptional resistance to hydrochloric acid and other strongly reducing environments. Containing approximately 62% nickel, 28% molybdenum, and small amounts of iron, chromium, manganese, and silicon, the alloy offers superior performance in aggressive chemical processing environments where standard stainless steels would rapidly corrode. It also exhibits good mechanical strength and stability under high temperatures, making it ideal for critical aerospace and chemical applications.
Material Overview
Hastelloy® B crystallizes in a face-centered cubic (FCC) structure typical of nickel-based alloys, offering high ductility and toughness. Its corrosion resistance derives primarily from its high molybdenum content, which provides strong protection against pitting, crevice corrosion, and stress corrosion cracking in reducing acids. Studies by Tawancy (1980) showed that the ?-phase (NiMo) precipitate forms along grain boundaries during aging, though it does not significantly degrade corrosion resistance or ductility. Horn et al. (1992) found that weld regions can suffer localized corrosion due to molybdenum depletion, a problem mitigated by using filler alloys such as Hastelloy B-42 with higher Mo content. Additionally, Tatarchenko and Cherkas (2005) demonstrated that Hastelloy B maintains excellent electrochemical stability even in ozonized sulfuric acid environments, confirming its outstanding chemical inertness.
Applications and Advantages
Hastelloy® B is widely employed in chemical process equipment such as heat exchangers, evaporators, and reaction vessels that operate in hydrochloric, hydrobromic, or sulfuric acid solutions. It is also used in aerospace turbochargers and jet engine components where oxidation resistance and mechanical reliability at elevated temperatures are essential. Its excellent weldability and resistance to thermal cracking make it suitable for fabrications subjected to fluctuating thermal and mechanical stresses. Long-term studies (Gibadullina et al., 2025) have confirmed that Ni–Mo-based alloys like Hastelloy B retain mechanical stability after 5000 hours of aging up to 700 °C, ensuring long service lifetimes even under cyclic thermal conditions.
Goodfellow Availability
Goodfellow provides Hastelloy® B alloy in high-purity form with customizable dimensions and product formats suitable for corrosion, high-temperature, and mechanical testing. All materials undergo strict compositional and microstructural quality control to ensure performance consistency. Custom processing and sizes can be provided upon request for specialized R&D and industrial applications.
Explore Hastelloy® B - Corrosion Resistant Alloy (Ni62/Mo28/Fe5/Cr/Mn/Si) and other advanced materials in Goodfellow’s online catalogue: Goodfellow product finder.
References
- Gibadullina, A. F., Khotinov, V. A., Karabanalov, M. S., & Polovov, I. B. (2025). The effect of long-term aging on the mechanical properties of corrosion-resistant nickel-based alloys for their application in nuclear technologies. Applied Sciences, 15(11), 6133.
- Horn, E.-M., Mattern, P., Schlecker, H., Korkhaus, J., Asphahani, A. I., & Matthews, S. J. (1992). Auftragschweißungen mit Hastelloy alloy B-42. Materials and Corrosion, 43(8), 449–456.
- Tawancy, H. M. (1980). Precipitation of NiMo in a Ni–Mo base alloy. Journal of Materials Science, 15(10), 2559–2567.
- Tatarchenko, G. O., & Cherkas, K. V. (2005). Corrosion resistance of Hastelloy-B in the ozonized medium. Protection of Metals, 41(3), 285–289.
- Brown, A. P. (1987). The corrosion behavior of molybdenum and Hastelloy B in sulfur and sodium polysulfides at 623 K. ChemInform, 18(47), 29.