What is 316 stainless steel? Advantages and applications of stainless steel 316

What is 316 stainless steel? This is one of the most popular and widely used types of stainless steel on the market today. So what are the outstanding advantages of 316 stainless steel that make so many people so fond of it? Hoa Giang’s article below will help you better understand the properties, advantages as well as applications of 316 stainless steel in everyday life.

What is 316 stainless steel?

What is 316 stainless steel? Stainless steel 316 is a form of austenitic stainless steel, containing about 17% chromium, 12.5% ​​nickel and 2% molybdenum. Adding molybdenum and nickel content helps Stainless Steel 316 have better corrosion resistance in harsh environments than Stainless Steel 304. This is a type of stainless steel that contains the chemical component molybdenum, which is resistant to rust and corrosion. crevice corrosion in chloride containing environments. In addition, 316 stainless steel also has excellent welding ability and can easily process products in fields such as architecture, industry and transportation.

Structural composition of 316 stainless steel?

The information above helps us understand what 316 stainless steel is?. So what does 316 stainless steel include? Stainless steel 316 contains the same components as stainless steel 304, including Chrome (Cr) and Nickel (Ni), but in addition, about 3% Molybdenum (Mo) is added to the structure. Chrome plays a role in providing anti-rust properties, while Nickel plays a role in providing anti-acid and mild alkali properties.

 Molybdenum is a very stable element and Molybdenum molecules form a hard coating, helping 316 stainless steel withstand extreme environmental conditions. For example, it can withstand seawater solutions with high salt concentrations of 25 ppt or more, strongly acidic solutions (pH < 3) and strongly alkaline solutions (pH > 9).

Types of 316 stainless steel are available on the market

In addition to original 316 stainless steel, it can be divided into two types:

• Stainless steel 316L, where “L” stands for “Low”, refers to type 316 stainless steel with low carbon content. Often used in important welds.
• Stainless steel 316H, where “H” stands for “High”, refers to type 316 stainless steel that contains higher carbon content. This type of stainless steel is often used in high temperature environments.
• Stainless steel 316Ti contains a small amount of titanium, only about 0.5%. These titanium atoms help maintain a stable stainless steel structure at temperatures above 800°C. This helps prevent rust from forming and protects the metal from corrosion. In addition, 316Ti stainless steel can also be used in high temperature environments.

Outstanding characteristics of stainless steel 316

Here are some outstanding features of 316 stainless steel compared to other types of stainless steel:

• Stainless steel 316 is not magnetic and is widely used in the medical field.
• Stainless steel 316 is more resistant to corrosion than stainless steel 304.
• Stainless steel 316 has high durability in Iodides, Bromides and Acid environments, as well as in high temperature environments (>500 degrees Celsius).
• Stainless steel 316 contains standard molybdenum content (about 2-3%).

• Stainless steel 316 often has characteristics such as shiny surface, fine grain, chrome plating, and many other features.

Advantages and disadvantages of 316 stainless steel

The following are the advantages and disadvantages of stainless steel 316:

Advantages of stainless steel 316

• Corrosion resistance: Stainless steel 316 has superior corrosion resistance compared to stainless steel 304, especially in salt water environments, acidic, alkaline environments and other chemical corrosives.
• High durability: 316 stainless steel has high durability, high resistance to abrasion and scratches.
• Easy to clean: 316 stainless steel is not affected by environmental impacts, does not stain and is easy to clean.
• Good weldability: Stainless steel 316 also has good weldability during construction and machining.

Disadvantages of stainless steel 316

• Stainless steel 316 has a higher price than stainless steel 304.
• Lower hardness: 316 stainless steel has a lower hardness than some other steels, which can make it more susceptible to bending and damage when subjected to strong impacts.
• Difficult production: Stainless steel 316 is more resistant to corrosion, so its production process becomes more difficult and requires higher techniques.

• Oxidation ability: Stainless steel 316 has less oxidation ability than stainless steel 304, however, stainless steel 316 is still capable of being oxidized, especially at high temperatures.

Simple way to identify 316 stainless steel

• Identify 316 stainless steel by magnet:

This method does not guarantee high accuracy and it will be difficult to distinguish 316 stainless steel from other types of stainless steel. Stainless steel 316 has very low magnetism and is almost not attracted to magnets. However, stainless steel 304 and 430 also have low magnetism, attract magnets very lightly or do not attract magnets at all. Therefore, identifying 316 stainless steel through this method is quite more difficult than other methods.

• Identify 316 stainless steel by spark when cutting stainless steel:

When cutting 316 stainless steel with a grinding wheel, there is often a beam of bright orange-yellow sparks with quite a few fire petals. Above the sparks, flickering spots of light can be seen. Meanwhile, other types of stainless steel often have thicker sparks and more flares than 316 stainless steel.

• Identify 316 stainless steel by acid:

First, clean the surface to be tested, then add a drop of acid and wait about 3-5 minutes. Stainless steel 316 is immune to most corrosive substances, so there is no surface reaction. If the acid turns the surface blue, it is 201 stainless steel. If the surface becomes dark, it is 304 stainless steel.

Applications of stainless steel 316 in everyday life

• Widely used in architecture, especially for outdoor projects and in areas with harsh environmental conditions.
• Used to produce equipment in the food industry, especially in environments containing a lot of chloride.
• Applications in medical devices that require strict hygiene such as hospitals, operating rooms, and laboratories. In addition, it is also used in the process of implanting joints in the body such as pins and screws for hip and knee implants.
• Applications in the marine industry, including ship and marine accessories, anchors, and aircraft accessories.

• Used to make chemical tanks and in the transportation industry.

• Applications in mineral exploitation, oil and gas, mining, quarrying and water filtration industries.
• Construction of a nuclear reprocessing plant.

Hopefully the above article will help you understand what 316 stainless steel is?, its advantages and applications in life. If you are in need of processing or purchasing quality 316 stainless steel, please leave your information below or contact hotline 028.38485518 for timely support!