Hastelloy vs Inconel Differences Explained - Knowledge

Inconel and Hastelloy are used in a variety of industries to produce custom metal parts that can function in elevated temperatures.

Both of these superalloys belong to the family of nickel and chromium alloys, and they're ideal manufacturing materials for application in harsh environments.

Even though they are quite similar in many regards, they both have distinctive compositions that determine which applications they're more useful in.

Below, we will go over the specifics of both of these classes of alloys and their distinct differences so you can decide which one will be more practical for your specific situation and applications.

What Is Hastelloy?

Hastelloy is a solid-solution strengthened alloy composed primarily of nickel, chromium, iron, and molybdenum.

Compared to pure metal, it boasts improved features such as high-temperature resistance, good oxidation resistance, and outstanding stress-corrosion resistance.

The Hastelloy class of superalloys was made specifically to be applied in welding, and used in chemical environments due to their highly-corrosive and high-temperature resistant structure.

What Is Inconel?

The name Inconel is a trademark name referring to a group of nickel-base superalloys whose chemical composition consists of nickel, cobalt, molybdenum, titanium, and niobium.

Since Inconel alloys consist of a group of superalloys instead of just one superalloy, their chemical composition varies across the group. However, all of them include nickel as their primary composite.

This is because Inconel alloys form a tough, thick, and oxide-resistant surface when they are treated through either solid solution strengthening or precipitation hardening.

Due to their extremely high tensile strength (103-160 ksi/14-1,103 MPa), which is maintained even under very high temperatures (1,800°F, 982°C), they are often chosen over pure steel and other superalloys for heat-treating applications and very high-temperature processes.

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Hastelloy vs. Inconel: Differences in Creation

As with their composition and basic properties, the creation process of both Inconel and Hastelloy share some similarities but also differ in some regards.

Differences in Composition

As mentioned earlier. However, that does not mean they are identical in their total composition, or their performance in different environments.

For instance, Hastelloy is more suitable for acidic environments, while Inconel is better for oxidizing environments.

This is because Hastelloy has a higher molybdenum content, which supplies more resistance in non-oxidizing and acidic environments. On the other hand, higher chromium content in Inconel alloys offers more support in oxidizing environments.

Hastelloy's specific chemical combination and quantity of nickel, chromium, and molybdenum are specifically designed to reduce media corrosion, which helps in lowering the high costs of equipment repair, replacement, deterioration, performance, and downtime.

Chemical Composition of Hastelloy Alloys

Inconel alloys that contain more iron than nickel tend to work well in lower temperature environments and settings, while maintaining their heat resistance in medium to slightly high-temperature surroundings.

Chemical Composition of Inconel Alloys

Inconel alloys and Hastelloy alloys share many similar elements but also differ in the quantity of those elements plus the addition or subtraction of others.

Inconel and Hastelloy are both nickel-based superalloys and share similar properties. They are a good fit for applications that need to withstand high-heat, high-pressure, and highly-corrosive substances.However, they also differ in many regards.Inconel's unique composition gives it more properties that are suitable for oxidizing environments, while Hatelloy's fares better in acidic environments.Since they do share many similarities in their processing, composition, and uses, it can be quite difficult to tell which one is best suited for a particular system, component, or application.This is why we suggest consulting with your custom metal parts manufacturer before choosing, to be sure you get the right alloy for your project.