Galvanic series and surface energy of engineering materials

Name: Galvanic series and surface energy of engineering materials
Creator: Reference Source
License: Factual compilation with source citations. Galvanic series from ASM Handbook Vol. 13 and MIL-STD-889 (US government, public domain). Surface energy data from kolorguide.com.

Electrode potential in seawater (volts vs SCE) for metals and alloys from the ASM/MIL-STD-889 galvanic series, and surface energy (dyne/cm) for plastics and packaging materials. Answers 'will these two materials corrode each other' and 'will this adhesive wet this plastic'.

Records80

Sources2

Verified2026-08-04

Review by2028-08-03

LicenceFactual compilation with source citations. Galvanic series from ASM Handbook Vol. 13 and MIL-STD-889 (US government, public domain). Surface energy data from kolorguide.com.

The data

Material	Anodic index (V vs gold)	Surface energy (dyne/cm)	Condition	Needs treatment?	Galvanic potential (V vs SCE)
18% chromium type corrosion-resistant steels	0.50
Acrylic Coating		38–42	Dry	No
Alloy 464 (Naval Rolled Brass)					0.4
Aluminum		40–60	Oxidized surface	Sometimes
Aluminum 3003-H					0.79
Aluminum, cast alloys other than silicon type, cadmium, plated and chromate	0.95
Aluminum, wrought alloys of the 2000 Series	0.75
Aluminum, wrought alloys other than 2000 Series aluminum, cast alloys of the silicon type	0.90
Beryllium	1.85
BOPP Film		30–32	Untreated	Yes
BOPP (treated)		38–42	Corona treated	No (if recently treated)
Brass and bronzes	0.40
Carbon Steel					0.61
Cast Iron					0.61
Chromium plated; tin plated; 12% chromium type corrosion-resistant steels	0.60
Cold Foil		36–42	UV adhesive	Sometimes
Cold Foil (cured)		34–40	Fully cured	Sometimes
Copper					0.36
Copper Alloy 443 (Admiralty Brass)					0.29
Copper Alloy 687 (Aluminum Brass)					0.32
Copper Alloy 706 (90-10 Cupro-Nickel)					0.28
Copper Alloy 715 (70-30 Cupro-Nickel)					0.25
Copper, solid or plated; low brasses or bronzes; silver solder; German silvery high copper-nickel alloys; nickel-chromium alloys	0.35
Foil (with overprint varnish)		38–44	Coated	No
G Bronze					0.31
Glass		60–72	Clean surface	No
Gold, solid and plated, Gold-platinum alloy	0.00
Graphite					+0.25
Hastelloy C					0.08
HDPE		30–32	Untreated	Yes
High brasses and bronzes	0.45
Hot-dip-zinc plate; galvanized steel	1.20
Hot Foil (aged)		32–36	After storage	Yes
Hot Stamping Foil		34–38	Fresh transfer	Yes
Ink Film (dry)		36–42	Printed	Sometimes
Iron, wrought, gray or malleable, plain carbon and low alloy steels	0.85
LDPE		30–33	Untreated	Yes
Lead, solid or plated; high lead alloys	0.70
Magnesium & magnesium-base alloys, cast or wrought	1.75
Metallized Film		38–44	Coated	Sometimes
Monel 400					0.08
Multilayer Film (EVOH core)		30–42	Depends on outer layer	Yes/No
Nickel					0.2
Nickel , solid or plated, titan ium an s alloys, Monel	0.30
Nylon (PA)		46–50	Standard	No
PE Coex (EVA surface)		36–40	Modified layer	Sometimes
PE Coex (PA/Nylon surface)		42–50	High-energy layer	No
PE Coex (with slip additives)		30–36	Variable	Yes
PE Coextruded (aged)		32–38	Migration	Often
PE Coextruded (treated)		38–42	Corona treated	No
PE Coextruded (untreated)		30–33	Fresh	Yes
PE Film		30–33	Untreated	Yes
PET		42–46	Standard	Rarely
PET Film		42–46	Treated	No
Platinum					+0.15
Polyethylene (PE)		30–33	Untreated	Yes
Polypropylene (PP)		29–31	Untreated	Yes
PTFE (Teflon)		18–20	Inert	Very Difficult
PVC		38–42	Flexible/Rigid	Sometimes
Rhodium plated on silver-plated copper	0.05
Silicone		20–24	Elastomer	Very Difficult
Silver					0.13
Silver, solid or plated; monel metal. High nickel-copper alloys	0.15
Stainless Steel		40–50	Passive layer	Sometimes
Steel		42–55	Industrial surface	Sometimes
Tin-plate; tin-lead solder	0.65
Titanium					0.1
Type 304 Stainless Steel (Active)			Active		0.53
Type 304 Stainless Steel (Passive)			Passive		0.08
Type 316 Stainless Steel (Active)			Active		0.18
Type 316 Stainless Steel (Passive)			Passive		0.05
Type 410 Stainless Steel (Active)			Active		0.52
Type 410 Stainless Steel (Passive)			Passive		0.15
Type 430 Stainless Steel (Active)			Active		0.57
Type 430 Stainless Steel (Passive)			Passive		0.22
UV Coating		36–42	Cured	Sometimes
Varnish (OPV)		38–44	Overprint	No
Zinc					1.03
Zinc, wrought; zinc-base die-casting alloys; zinc plated	1.25
Zirconium					0.04

Where this came from

Every record above links the page it was taken from and quotes the sentence that states it. These are the 2 sources this dataset was assembled from.

l-36.comhttps://l-36.com/corrosion.php
kolorguide.comhttps://kolorguide.com/surface-energy-chart-by-material/

Machine-readable

data.jsonThe whole dataset — every record with its source URL and source quote.
Open Knowledge Format bundleOne file per record, frontmatter plus the quoted span, exactly as it is held here.
How this is made and checkedWhat "verified against source" does and does not mean.

80 records. Licence: Factual compilation with source citations. Galvanic series from ASM Handbook Vol. 13 and MIL-STD-889 (US government, public domain). Surface energy data from kolorguide.com.. Last verified against source: 2026-08-04. Scheduled for re-check by: 2028-08-03.