304, 304L, and 316L stainless steel are the most widely used stainless steel grades in the world, renowned for their excellent corrosion resistance and wide range of applications.
Let's take a brief review at the characteristics and applications of the above three different types of stainless steel first.
1.304 grade
304 stainless steel is one of the most common types of stainless steel grade, which has excellent corrosion resistance, heat resistance, low-temperature strength, and mechanical properties. It is commonly used in household appliances, medical equipment, ship components, and other applications.
2.304L grade
304L stainless steel, which refers to low-carbon 304 steel, has similar corrosion resistance to 304 steel under normal conditions. However, after welding or stress relief, it exhibits excellent resistance to intergranular corrosion. It is primarily used in outdoor machinery in the chemical, coal, and petroleum industries, as well as in heat-resistant parts for building materials, where high resistance to intergranular corrosion is required.
3.316L grade
316L stainless steel is a low-carbon series of the 316 steel grade, which enjoys featuring exceptional corrosion resistance, atmospheric corrosion resistance, and high-temperature strength, making it suitable for use in harsh conditions. Additionally, its resistance to intergranular corrosion is superior to that of 316 grade. It is ideal for products with special requirements for intergranular corrosion resistance.
After gaining a basic understanding of the characteristics and applications of the three types of stainless steel grade, let’s delve deeper into their differences. The following is an analysis of the chemical compositions of the three types of stainless steel grade.
| Grade |
Composition, % |
|
C max |
Mn |
P max |
S max |
Si max |
Ni |
Cr |
Mo |
| 304 |
0.080 |
2.0max |
0.045 |
0.030 |
1.00 |
8.0-11.0 |
18.0-20.0 |
|
| 304L |
0.035 |
2.0max |
0.045 |
0.030 |
1.00 |
8.0-13.0 |
18.0-20.0 |
|
| 316L |
0.035 |
2.0max |
0.045 |
0.030 |
1.00 |
10.0-15.0 |
16.0-18.0 |
2.0-3.0 |
The above chemical composition content is based on stainless steel pipes that comply with the ASTM A554 standard.
It can be seen that the most significant difference between 316L and 304/304L in terms of chemical composition is that 316L contains 2.0-3.0% molybdenum.
Molybdenum (Mo) is a silver-gray transition metal. As a refractory metal with a melting point as high as 2610°C, it exhibits high thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance, and does not react with oxygen at room temperature. This is why the corrosion resistance of 316L material containing molybdenum is superior to that of 304/304L.
MW Metal is committed to providing customers with high-quality stainless steel pipes. We offer a broad range of welded stainless steel pipes and tubes, providing customized sizes and shapes to meet customers’ specific needs, including material of grade 304/304L/316L/409L/430/439/441/200 series and duplex stainless steel, covering different standard of ASTM A554/A249/A269/A270/A789 and EN 10296-2/ EN 10217-7/ EN 10312/ EN 10357.
If you’re interested in high quality stainless steel tubes or pipes with competitive prices, please don’t hesitate to contact with us. We’re always available to offer a quotation as your demand.
