Tag: titanium grade 5 bolts for saltwater corrosion

Titanium & Monel K500 for High Strength Saltwater Corrosion

Q: I’ve been using Monel 400 for a saltwater application but I’m having issues with bolts notwithstanding the application pressure. Is there a saltwater resistant fastener that can give me higher strength?
A: Yes for higher strength saltwater resistance you have two options. Monel K500 bolts are an age hardened sister alloy to Monel 400. These bolts have undergone a precipitation hardening process which makes them almost 2x’s stronger: Monel 400 bolts 83ksi vs Monel K500 bolts 160ksi Ultimate Tensile Strength. Another option would be titanium grade 5 bolts. Titanium grade 5 is almost 4 times stronger than stainless steel and offers 148ksi of tensile strength. Titanium grade 5 bolts are among the most resistant to saltwater environments, experiencing virtually no corrosion even after years in mile deep seawater.

Monel Bolts for Saltwater Wharf

Q: We are installing bolts into a refinery wharf.  After doing a test run on a few A316 stainless steel bolts, they came back heavily corroded. Do you have an coating that can be used for salt water applications that would prevent this? Or do can you advise on another material?

A: I don’t recommend a coating but I can recommend a better material to handle the saltwater situation. Here I would suggest using either Monel or titanium bolts. Monel bolts are the go-to material for many marine applications. It is available in two forms Monel 400 which offers a strength of 83ksi ultimate tensile strength and age hardened Monel K500 for extreme strength of 160ksi UTS. Titanium bolts are also and excellent choice for saltwater corrosion. They offer excellent resistance to both rapid velocity and stagnant seawater, up to a mile deep. Titanium grade 5 fasteners are 4 times stronger than 316 at half the weight.