Fingerprint Corrosion of Titanium and Titanium Alloys: Causes and Prevention

If the freshly processed titanium and titanium alloy products are touched with bare hands, a distinct yellow fingerprint will be left on the surface of the products.

A common action in daily life - directly touching the surface of titanium and titanium alloy products with hands - may unexpectedly become the trigger for rusting. This corrosion phenomenon caused by the residue of fingerprints is called "fingerprint corrosion".

Let's analyze the composition of sweat. Sweat is mainly composed of water, salts and a small amount of organic matter. Among them, the salts mainly exist in the form of sodium chloride. Although sodium chloride itself has a relatively weak corrosive effect on titanium alloys.

However, under certain conditions, such as in high-temperature and high-humidity environments, and when titanium products have already been processed (with no oxide layer formed on the product surface), the salt in sweat may accelerate the corrosion process of titanium alloys. In addition, the organic matter in sweat may also undergo chemical reactions with titanium alloys, thereby affecting the surface appearance of titanium products.

Preventive methods for handprint corrosion:
Cleaning: Immediately after contact, wipe with a non-woven fabric soaked in industrial alcohol. Or rinse with a large amount of clean water and wipe to remove residual fingerprints.

Avoid bare-handed contact: Wear nitrile gloves during operation and change them regularly (it is recommended to change them every 2 hours).

In conclusion, although sweat itself has a relatively weak corrosive effect on titanium alloys, under certain conditions, the components in sweat may cause some degree of corrosion to titanium alloys. Therefore, when manufacturing titanium alloy products, especially in high-temperature and high-humidity environments, it is necessary to pay attention to wearing protective equipment and reduce direct hand contact with the product surface to avoid the problem of "fingerprint corrosion".