In the 1930s, the U.S. Department of Defense developed a standard for stainless steel passivation, which was originally called QQP 35. What was eventually known as QQP 35C was withdrawn in 1998 when the DOD favored a new standard called ASTM A967.

To this day, ASTM A967 remains the most widely accepted general industry standard. A second standard, AMS 2700 B, is heavily accepted for aerospace applications.

The two standards are virtually identical in regards to the what is required in the passivation process. They both allow for the use of nitric acid and citric acid solutions, the latter of which is the newer, more effective method. More specifically, the standards prescribe the concentrations, temperatures, times and water quality required for passivating stainless steel.

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