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Austenitic stainless steels are the most commonly used class of stainless steels. The high chromium and nickel content in this group of products provides excellent corrosion resistance and very good mechanical properties. They cannot be hardened by heat treatment but can be greatly hardened by cold working. None of the grades in this class are magnetic.
Standard and Grade
Standard grades of austenitic stainless steels contain a maximum of 0.08% carbon; there is no minimum carbon requirement.
Low carbon grade (L grade)
“L” grades are used to provide additional corrosion resistance after welding. The letter “L” after the stainless steel grade designates low carbon. Carbon content should be kept at 0.03% or less to avoid carbide precipitation, which can lead to corrosion. Grade “L” is generally used due to the temperatures generated during welding (which can lead to carbon precipitation). Typically, stainless steel mills can offer dual-certified stainless steel grades such as 304/304L or 316/316L.
High Carbon Grade (H Grade)
Stainless steel “H” grades have a minimum carbon content of 0.04% and a maximum carbon content of .10%. Higher carbon helps maintain strength in extreme temperatures. The letter “H” after the stainless steel grade designates these grades. This designation is used when the end use involves extreme temperature environments.
Type 304: One of the most commonly used (austenitic) stainless steel grades. Its high content of chromium and nickel makes it the first choice for manufacturing process equipment for the chemical (mild chemical), food/dairy, and beverage industries. This grade has an excellent combination of strength, corrosion resistance, and fabric properties.
Type 316: This stainless steel grade contains 18% chromium, 14% nickel, and added molybdenum. These combine to improve its corrosion resistance. In particular, molybdenum is used to help control pitting corrosion. This grade resists scaling at temperatures up to 1600 F. Type 316 is used in chemical processing, pulp and paper industries, food and beverage processing and distribution, and highly corrosive environments. It is also used in the marine industry due to its corrosion resistance properties.
Type 317: Molybdenum content higher than 316%, used in highly corrosive environments. The molybdenum content of this grade must be greater than 3%. Scrubber systems are commonly used in air pollution control installations to remove particulate matter and gases from industrial exhaust streams.
Type 321: The titanium content is at least five times the carbon content. This is done to reduce or eliminate chromium carbide precipitation due to welding or exposure to high temperatures and is used in the aerospace industry.
Type 347: In a strong oxidizing environment, the corrosion resistance is slightly improved compared to Type 321 stainless steel. For applications requiring intermittent heating between 800ºF (427ºC) and 1650ºF (899ºC), or welding under conditions that prevent post-weld annealing, Type 347 should be considered.
Application of Austenitic Stainless Steel
With so many uses for austenitic stainless steel, it is no wonder that it holds such a large share of the overall global market share. These stainless steels come in two series – 200 series and 300 series.
The 300 series is nickel-based and includes standard austenitic stainless steels, the most commonly used grade 304. It typically contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel, which is the minimum amount of nickel needed to convert ferritic stainless steel to austenite when that much chromium is present. The 200 series is low in nickel and high in nitrogen or manganese, making it a cheaper alternative to the 300 series. The following are some application families of austenitic stainless steels:
200 Series:
- Kitchen utensils: 200 series austenitic stainless steel, such as 201, 202, etc., are often used to make kitchen utensils, such as pots, tableware, sinks, etc. They have good corrosion resistance and a beautiful appearance.
- Household appliances: 200 series austenitic stainless steel is also widely used in the home appliance industry, including refrigerators, microwave ovens, washing machines, etc. Their corrosion resistance and aesthetics make them an ideal material option.
- Architectural decoration: 200 series austenitic stainless steel is used in the field of architectural decoration to make door handles, stair handrails, decorative panels, etc. It’s corrosion resistance and weather resistance make it suitable for both indoor and outdoor decorative applications.
- Auto parts: 200 series austenitic stainless steel is used in automobile manufacturing to make exhaust pipes, intake pipes, exhaust systems, etc. It’s corrosion resistance and high-temperature tolerance allow it to handle the requirements found in automotive engine environments.
300 Series:
- Chemical and petroleum industry: 300 series austenitic stainless steel, such as 304, 316, etc., are commonly used in pipelines, storage tanks, valves, and other equipment in the chemical and petroleum industry. Its anti-corrosion properties are very important for handling aggressive media.
- Food processing and medical equipment: 300 series austenitic stainless steels are widely used in the food processing and medical equipment industries. They are suitable for making food processing equipment, surgical instruments, medical instruments, etc. because of their hygienic safety and corrosion resistance.
- Building structure: 300 series austenitic stainless steel is commonly used in beams, columns, steel plates, etc. in building structures. Its high strength and corrosion resistance make it ideal for long-term use and under load.
- Automobile manufacturing: 300 series austenitic stainless steel is also widely used in automobile manufacturing, including body structure, exhaust systems, chassis parts, etc. Its corrosion resistance and strength can meet the requirements of automotive use conditions.
These are the common applications of 200 series and 300 series austenitic stainless steels in different fields, but it is not an exhaustive list, because the application fields of austenitic stainless steels are very wide and exist in almost every industry and field.
What is Austenitic Stainless Steel?
Austenitic stainless steel is stainless steel with a special crystal structure. It is composed of iron, chromium, and other alloying elements, and the content of chromium is usually more than 10%. Compared with other types of stainless steel, austenitic stainless steel has higher corrosion resistance and mechanical strength.
Austenitic stainless steel gets its name from its crystal structure, which has an austenitic crystal structure. The austenitic crystal structure consists of closely packed atoms, giving it high hardness and strength. This structure enables austenitic stainless steel to have good mechanical properties and also provide high corrosion resistance.
Austenitic stainless steel has good plasticity and weldability at room temperature and also has high strength and hardness. This stainless steel is widely used in many fields, including construction, manufacturing, chemical, food processing and medical equipment. It is commonly used in the manufacture of various products such as pipes, containers, tools, tableware, medical devices, and more.
It is worth noting that austenitic stainless steel is not the only type of stainless steel, there are several other common stainless steels, such as ferritic stainless steel and martensitic stainless steel. Each stainless steel has its unique properties and fields of application. Selecting the proper stainless steel material depends on specific application requirements.
Advantages of Austenitic Stainless Steel
- Excellent corrosion resistance: Austenitic stainless steel has good corrosion resistance and can resist corrosion in wet, acidic, alkaline and salt water environments. Among them, the high chromium content is the key factor for its corrosion resistance, which can form a dense chromium oxide film (passive film) to effectively block the contact between the metal and the external environment, thereby providing protection.
- High Strength and Hardness: Austenitic stainless steels have high strength and hardness, making them excellent in mechanical applications. It can withstand large forces and pressures, and is suitable for occasions that require high-strength materials.
- Good plasticity and processability: Austenitic stainless steel has good plasticity at room temperature, and can be formed by cold working, hot working, deep drawing, bending, etc. This plasticity makes it suitable for the manufacturing needs of various complex shapes.
- Excellent welding performance: Austenitic stainless steel has good welding performance and can be connected by various welding methods. This characteristic makes it widely used in the field of manufacturing and construction.
- High-temperature resistance: Austenitic stainless steel can maintain stable performance in high temperature environment, and it is not easy to deform and oxidize. This makes it widely used in high temperature equipment and heat treatment processes.
- Hygienic safety: Austenitic stainless steel has good hygienic safety, will not react with food or medicine, will not produce harmful substances, meets hygienic standards, and is suitable for food processing, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment and other fields.
In summary, austenitic stainless steel has excellent corrosion resistance, high strength and hardness, good machinability and welding performance, as well as high-temperature resistance and hygienic safety, making it a material choice for a wide range of applications.