These oxidizing compounds assure oxide film stability. Low, but finite, corrosion rates from continued surface oxidation may be observed under high temperature, highly oxidizing conditions.
Titanium offers excellent resistance over the full concentration range at sub-boiling temperatures.
At higher temperatures, however, titanium's corrosion resistance is highly dependent on nitric acid purity. Titanium often exhibits superior performance to stainless steel alloys in high temperature metal-contaminated nitric acid media, such as those associated with the Purex Process for U3O8 recovery. The data in Table 13 shows that titanium also offers good resistance to nitric acid vapors. Titanium is not recommended for use in red fuming nitric acid because of the danger of pyrophoric reactions.