The difference between 304 and 304l stainless steel

1. What is stainless steel?

Stainless steel is a type of steel. Steel refers to steel that contains less than 2% of carbon (C), and more than 2% is iron. The addition of chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), molybdenum (Mo) and other alloying elements in the smelting process of steel has continuously improved the characteristics of the steel and made the steel more resistant to corrosion. Sexuality (that is, no rust) is what we often call stainless steel.

What exactly are "steel" and "iron", what are their characteristics, and what is their relationship? Where do the 304, 304L, 316, and 316L we usually refer to come from, and what are the differences between them?

Steel: A material with iron as the main element, carbon content usually below 2%, and other elements. ——GB/T13304-91 "Steel Classification"

Iron: a class of metallic elements, atomic structure number 26. Iron materials have strong ferromagnetic properties, and have good ductility and heat resistance.

Stainless steel: resistant to weak corrosive media such as air, steam, water, or stainless steel. The commonly used steels are 304, 304L, 316, 316L, which are 300 series product steels of austenitic stainless steel.

-304 stainless steel-

Features detailed introduction

304 stainless steel is the most widely used steel. As a kind of steel with a wide range of applications, it has good corrosion resistance, heat resistance, low temperature strength and mechanical characteristics; it has good hot workability such as stamping and bending. Heat treatment process hardening phenomenon (non-magnetic, use temperature -196 ℃ ~ 800 ℃).

Application field

Household items (Class 1 and 2 tableware, cabinets, pipelines in the room, electric water heaters, boilers, bathtubs)

Auto parts (windshield wipers, mufflers, moldings)

Medical equipment, decorative building materials, chemical, food industry, agriculture, ship parts

-304L stainless steel-(L is low carbon)

Features detailed introduction

As a low carbon 304 steel, under normal circumstances, its corrosion resistance is similar to that of 304, but after welding or after removing the internal stress, its resistance to grain boundary erosion is excellent; under the condition that the heat treatment process is not completed , can also maintain stable corrosion resistance, using temperature -196 ℃ ~ 800 ℃.

Application field

It is used for outdoor equipment in chemical, coal, and petroleum industries with high resistance to grain boundary corrosion, heat-resistant parts for decorative building materials, and parts with difficult heat treatment processes.