[jackybh]

I'm currently doing some research about AlCl3 for work. My research is related to how corrosive is a solution of 15% of aluminium Chloride Hexahydrate (in ethanol) to steel and/or stainless steel, or other metals. The thing is that we are going to put this solution in a spray applicator but it has a steel spring inside, so our concern is that after a few days the solution could eat the steel and leave the sprayer useless.

Hope you can help me out with this

[BluRay]

It is more or less corrosive as a dilute solution of HCl. About your steel spring, it depends on the steel; it's difficult to give an answer.

[jackybh]

it is called "316 stainess steel", is it strong enough to resist corrosion?

Which way would you test it?
I mean, how many hours/days should pass so I can be sure the spring would resist.

[UnintentionalChaos]

Stainless steels are sensitive to pitting from anything containing chloride. I know from experience that concentrated HCl does quite a number on 316, so it stands to reason that more dilute stuff will just act slower.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitting_corrosion

[jackybh]

So, now the question becomes:

How long will it take the 15% AlCl3 solution we are using to affect the "316 stainless steel" spring?
let's assume that the spring uses a string of 0,5mm width.

[sjb]

Define "affects" - arguably it may be on the scale of milliseconds, just not noticeable for days?

[jackybh]

Ok, I meant:

How much time would take the AlCl3 solution to destroy, consume, or break the spring so it becomes useless and the pump of the sprayer stops working?

Note: I have a spring submerged in the solution for 48hours now and there is no VISUAL (bare naked eye) sign or corrosion.