What is the best material for corrosion resistance?

Once again, the actual operating environment plays a significant role. Many coatings are available that can provide adequate corrosion resistance for wire types that would not themselves resist corrosion. These include powder coating, phosphating with an oil dip or spray, and plating in some cases. Generally speaking, a coated spring produced from a traditional spring material will involve less cost than producing a spring from stainless steel.

When the application is such that coated spring wire will not meet the requirements of the application, the focus turns to stainless steel wire. Type 316 stainless steel is generally the first choice. This wire can yield very corrosion-resistant springs for most environments. When the application calls for high operating temperatures as well, 17-7 PH wire will also likely be considered.