THE USE OF TYPE 2205 (UNS S32205) DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL FOR PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOPROCESSING EQUIPMENT

The hygienic requirements for the pharmaceutical and bioprocessing industry are relatively high and the materials of construction for processing vessels and piping systems must demonstrate outstanding corrosion resistance and cleanability to insure the purity and integrity of the drug product. Candidate materials must have good weldability and must be capable of being electropolished to meet industry requirements for surface finish while meeting the various requirements of the end-user. The primary material of construction for processing equipment in the pharmaceutical industry is Type 316L (S31603) austenitic stainless steel. Although Type 316L performs well in many environments, there is a need for more corrosion resistant materials. This paper presents an overview of the first pharmaceutical application of Type 2205 (S32205) duplex stainless steel at the Genentech South San Francisco, California facility. The material selection criterion, qualification testing, and service performance of a 75-liter Type 2205 duplex stainless steel R&D vessel are presented. The corrosion resistance, mechanical properties, electropolishing properties, and rouge resistance of the 2205 duplex stainless steel are discussed.