ASTM B127/B127M is the standard specification by ASTM International covering rolled nickel-copper alloy plate, sheet, and strip — universally known as Monel 400 (UNS N04400). With approximately 65% nickel and 30% copper, Monel 400 delivers the best seawater corrosion resistance among all commonly available engineering alloys, excellent resistance to hydrofluoric acid, and immunity to chloride stress corrosion cracking. The companion specification ASME SB127 is adopted for ASME Code-stamped pressure equipment.
Zhengzhou Huitong (HT Pipe) supplies ASTM B127 / ASME SB127 compliant plate, sheet & strip with full Mill Test Certificates (MTC) per EN 10204 3.1.
1. Standard Scope & Designation
ASTM B127/B127M covers nickel-copper alloy (UNS N04400 — Monel 400) plate, sheet, and strip. Monel 400 combines the corrosion resistance of nickel with the unique properties of copper to deliver outstanding performance in seawater, hydrofluoric acid, and caustic soda environments, with excellent resistance to chloride stress corrosion cracking.
| Form |
Manufacturing Process |
Size Range |
Typical Thickness/Tolerance |
| Plate / Sheet / Strip |
Hot-rolled or cold-rolled from ingot/billet per standard |
ASTM B127 covers plate up to 3 in (76 mm) thick, sheet from 0.018–0.250 in (0.46–6.35 mm), and strip from 0.005–0.250 in (0.13–6.35 mm). Standard widths: 48–96 in (1220–2440 mm). |
Per standard / purchaser agreement |
Scope Statement (ASTM B127/B127M): "This specification covers rolled nickel-copper alloy (UNS N04400) plate, sheet, and strip for use in general corrosive service and marine environments."
| Designation |
Issuing Body |
Unit System |
Dimension Standard |
Latest Edition |
| ASTM B127 |
ASTM International |
Inch-Pound |
ASTM A480/A480M |
B127/B127M-19 (2024) |
| ASTM B127M |
ASTM International |
SI (Metric) |
ASTM A480/A480M |
B127/B127M-19 (2024) |
| ASME SB127 |
ASME (BPVC Sec. II Part B) |
Both |
ASTM A480/A480M |
2023 Edition |
2. Grades Covered by ASTM B127
ASTM B127 covers the following grades. Each grade is defined by its UNS number and specific chemistry targeted at different service environments.
| Grade / UNS |
Key Chemistry Requirements |
Mechanical Properties (min) |
| Monel 400 (N04400) |
Ni 63.0 min (Ni+Co), Cu 28.0–34.0, Fe 2.5 max, Mn 2.0 max, C 0.3 max, Si 0.5 max, S 0.024 max |
Annealed: TS ≥ 483 MPa (70 ksi), YS ≥ 193 MPa (28 ksi), El ≥ 35% |
| Hot-Rolled Plate |
Same chemistry |
As-rolled: TS ≥ 517 MPa (75 ksi), YS ≥ 276 MPa (40 ksi), El ≥ 30% |
3. Chemical Composition
Values are weight percent maximum unless shown as a range. Heat analysis. Per ASTM B127 Table 1.
| Ni+Co |
Cu |
Fe |
Mn |
C |
Si |
S |
Notes |
| Ni + Co |
63.0 min |
Primary alloy base; Ni: ~65–67 typ |
— |
| Cu |
28.0–34.0 |
Key element for seawater and HF acid resistance; ~30 typ |
— |
| Fe |
2.50 max |
~1.5 typical |
— |
| Mn |
2.00 max |
~1.0 typical |
— |
| C |
0.30 max |
~0.15 typical |
— |
| Si |
0.50 max |
~0.2 typical |
— |
| S |
0.024 max |
~0.005 typical |
— |
4. Mechanical Property Requirements
All values are minimum requirements. Tensile testing per ASTM E8/E8M.
| Grade / Condition |
Heat Treatment |
TS min MPa (ksi) |
YS min MPa (ksi) |
El min (%) |
| Monel 400 — Plate (Annealed) |
805–870°C (1480–1600°F) WQ or AC |
483 (70) |
193 (28) |
35 |
| Monel 400 — Sheet (Annealed) |
730–870°C (1350–1600°F) WQ or AC |
483 (70) |
193 (28) |
35 |
| Monel 400 — Strip (Annealed) |
730–870°C (1350–1600°F) WQ or AC |
483 (70) |
193 (28) |
35 |
| Hot-Rolled Plate (As-Rolled) |
As-rolled condition |
517 (75) |
276 (40) |
30 |
5. Heat Treatment Requirements
| Grade |
Temperature Range |
Cooling Method |
Purpose |
| Annealed |
730–870°C (1350–1600°F) |
Water quench or rapid air cool |
General service; maximum ductility and formability |
| Stress Relief |
540–565°C (1000–1050°F) |
Slow cool |
For cold-worked material to reduce residual stress |
| Hot-Rolled (As-Rolled) |
Finish rolling at ~800–900°C |
Air cool |
Higher strength; lower ductility; for structural applications |
6. Testing & Inspection Requirements
| Test |
Requirement |
Reference Standard |
| Chemical Analysis (Heat) |
One per heat; all elements per B127 Table 1 |
ASTM B127 Table 1 |
| Tensile Test |
One per lot; tensile per ASTM E8/E8M |
ASTM E8 / E8M |
| Hardness Test |
Rockwell B or Brinell per agreement |
ASTM E18 / E10 |
| Ultrasonic |
Per ASTM A578 or per agreement |
ASTM A578/A578M |
| Visual & Dimensional |
Thickness tolerance per ASTM A480; flatness per agreement |
ASTM B127 / A480 |
7. Dimensions & Dimensional Tolerances
ASTM B127 covers plate up to 3 in (76 mm) thick, sheet from 0.018–0.250 in (0.46–6.35 mm), and strip from 0.005–0.250 in (0.13–6.35 mm). Standard widths: 48–96 in (1220–2440 mm). Monel 400 plate is available in hot-rolled annealed and as-rolled conditions.
8. Industries & Applications
| Industry |
Recommended Grade |
Typical Service Media / Application |
| Marine / Offshore |
Monel 400 |
Seawater piping, pumps, propeller shafts, valve trim |
| Chemical Processing |
Monel 400 |
HF acid alkylation, caustic soda evaporators, salt plant equipment |
| Oil & Gas |
Monel 400 |
Sour gas wellhead components, downhole tools in H₂S/CO₂ |
| Power Generation |
Monel 400 |
Feedwater heater tubes, steam surface condenser tubes |
| Shipbuilding |
Monel 400 |
Seawater valves, fire water systems, marine fasteners |
| Heat Exchangers |
Monel 400 |
Brine coolers, caustic heaters, hydrofluoric acid exchangers |
9. ASTM B127 vs ASTM B575 (Ni-Cr-Mo Alloys — C-276, C-22) — Comparison
| Standard |
ASTM B127 (Monel 400) |
ASTM B575 (C-276) |
| Alloy |
Ni-Cu (N04400) |
Ni-Cr-Mo-W (N10276) |
| Ni Content |
63% min (~65 typical) |
Balance (~57 typical) |
| Key Alloy |
Cu 28–34% |
Cr 15–17%, Mo 15–17%, W 3–4.5% |
| Seawater Resistance |
Excellent (all velocities) |
Excellent (but over-specified for pure seawater) |
| HF Acid Resistance |
Excellent (benchmark alloy) |
Good (C-276 preferred for anhydrous HF) |
| Caustic Resistance |
Excellent (NaOH up to 80%, boiling) |
Fair (higher Ni needed) |
| Cost Factor |
1.0× (reference) |
~2.5–3.0× |
Key Distinction: Monel 400 (B127) is the cost-effective choice for seawater and HF acid service where its natural resistance is sufficient. C-276 (B575) should be specified only when the environment contains strong oxidizing agents, chlorides at very high temperatures, or mixed reducing-oxidizing acids that would attack Monel 400. For pure seawater or caustic service, Monel 400 is the economic and technically appropriate choice.
10. Related Standards
| Standard |
Scope |
Relationship |
| ASTM B165 |
Monel 400 Seamless Pipe & Tube |
Tubular complement to B127 plate for same alloy |
| ASTM B725 |
Monel 400 Welded Pipe |
Welded pipe in Monel 400 |
| ASTM B164 |
Monel 400 Rod and Bar |
Bar stock for machined components, fasteners |
| ASME SB127 |
ASME BPVC Section II Part B |
Identical; code-stamped equipment |
| ASTM B575 |
Ni-Cr-Mo Alloy Plate (C-276, C-22) |
Higher-end alternative for extreme oxidizing + reducing conditions |
| ASTM B265 |
Titanium Plate, Sheet, and Strip (Grade 2) |
Alternative for seawater when weight is critical |
| NACE MR0175/ISO 15156 |
SSC Resistant Materials for Oil & Gas |
Monel 400 is acceptable for sour service (H₂S) |
| ASTM E8/E8M |
Tensile Testing of Metallic Materials |
Governs tensile, yield, elongation procedure |
11. How to Order — Required Information
| No. |
Item |
Requirement / Example |
| 1 |
Specification |
ASTM B127 / ASME SB127 |
| 2 |
Grade / UNS |
UNS N04400 (Monel 400 / Alloy 400) |
| 3 |
Product Form |
Plate, Sheet, or Strip |
| 4 |
Dimensions |
Thickness × Width × Length |
| 5 |
Condition |
Annealed, hot-rolled, cold-rolled, or as-rolled |
| 6 |
Surface Finish |
No. 1 (HRAP), No. 2D, No. 2B, or per agreement |
| 7 |
Temper (sheet/strip) |
Annealed, quarter-hard, half-hard, full-hard (where applicable) |
| 8 |
Certification |
EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 CMTR |
| 9 |
Quantity |
Pieces, MT, or total area (m² / ft²) |
Download ASTM B127 Standard (PDF)
The official ASTM B127 PDF is available from our HT Pipe Download Center. The document covers Nickel-Copper Alloy (UNS N04400) Plate, Sheet, and Strip, including full chemical composition tables, mechanical property requirements, dimensional tolerances, and testing provisions.
Go to Download Center | Request MTC / Quotation
12. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is Monel 400 the benchmark alloy for seawater service?
Monel 400's approximately 65% Ni – 30% Cu composition creates a naturally protective surface film that resists seawater corrosion at all velocities — from stagnant conditions to high-velocity (> 100 ft/s / 30 m/s) flow. Unlike stainless steels that rely on oxygen for passive film maintenance and can suffer crevice corrosion, Monel 400 does not require oxygen and is immune to chloride stress corrosion cracking (SCC). It resists biofouling moderate pitting and offers an excellent strength-to-corrosion-resistance ratio at a fraction of the cost of Ni-Cr-Mo alloys.
Q: Is ASTM B127 Monel 400 suitable for hydrofluoric acid service?
Yes — Monel 400 is the benchmark alloy for hydrofluoric acid (HF) service. It shows excellent resistance to anhydrous HF and aqueous HF up to approximately 80% concentration at ambient temperature, and to dilute solutions (≤10%) at elevated temperatures. For anhydrous HF alkylation units in refineries, Monel 400 is the standard material for valve trim, instrument components, and heat exchanger tubes. It is not recommended for hot concentrated HF (> 50% at boiling) or HF solutions containing oxidizing agents. For these conditions, C-276 (ASTM B575) should be considered.
Q: Can Monel 400 plate be welded?
Yes. Monel 400 plate is readily weldable by GTAW (TIG), GMAW (MIG), SMAW (stick), and SAW processes. The recommended filler metal is ERNiCu-7 (AWS A5.14 / ENiCu-7) — essentially matching Monel 400 composition. No preheat required. Interpass temperature should be controlled below 150°C (300°F). Post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) is not required for corrosion resistance, but stress relief at 540–565°C (1000–1050°F) may be applied to reduce residual stress. The weld zone has corrosion resistance comparable to the base metal.
Q: What is the difference between Monel 400 and K-500?
Monel 400 (UNS N04400, ASTM B127) is a solid-solution-strengthened Ni-Cu alloy with approximately Ni 65% – Cu 30%. Monel K-500 (UNS N05500) has the same Ni-Cu base but adds 2.3–3.1% Al + 0.35–0.85% Ti, enabling precipitation hardening (age hardening) to roughly double the yield strength (YS ≥ 620 MPa / 90 ksi in aged condition vs 193 MPa / 28 ksi for annealed Monel 400). K-500 is used for pump shafts, fasteners, springs, and marine propeller shafts requiring high strength. Monel 400 is the general-purpose corrosion-resistant grade for plate, pipe, and process equipment.
Q: What are the temperature limits for ASTM B127 Monel 400?
For continuous corrosion-resistant service, Monel 400 is suitable from cryogenic temperatures (−196°C / −320°F) to approximately 540°C (1000°F). It maintains excellent toughness and ductility at cryogenic temperatures with no ductile-to-brittle transition. For structural applications, the maximum service temperature is approximately 540°C (1000°F), above which oxidation and strength loss become significant. In seawater, Monel 400 performs well up to approximately 120°C (250°F). In caustic soda (NaOH), maximum recommended temperature is approximately 200°C (400°F) for concentrations up to 75%.
Request a Quote — ASTM B127 Monel 400 (UNS N04400) Plate, Sheet & Strip
Zhengzhou Huitong (HT Pipe) supplies ASTM B127 / SB127 UNS N04400 Monel 400 plate, sheet, and strip for seawater, HF acid, and caustic service. Full EN 10204 3.1 CMTRs from qualified nickel alloy mills. Competitive lead times and cut-to-size capability.