Learn about the most common stainless steel grades 2024

Currently there are more than a thousand stainless steel grades but there are only 5 most common types today. Each grade owns numerous different varieties, each possessing unique properties regarding corrosion resistance and hardness.

To better understand the characteristics, advantages, and common applications of different types of stainless steel, let's delve into detailed analysis with MRS Steel in the following article!

There are thousands different types but there is only 5 most common stainless steel grades

What is stainless steel? Classify some popular stainless steel grades

Stainless steel is an alloy containing at least 10.5% chromium and various other elements such as nickel, molybdenum, titanium, and sometimes even carbon. The combination of these alloys has created a strong crystalline structure in the steel that helps resist corrosion and rust, making them ideal for a wide range of applications, from daily household items to heavy industrial applications.

Stainless steel has better resistance to wet and acidic environments compared to regular steel, making all stainless steel grades require less maintenance than other materials. Additionally, some types of stainless steel are designed to withstand high temperatures and resist corrosion from substances like steam, acids, and alkalis, ensuring durability and shine over time.

Stainless steel contains of 10.5% chromium with nickel, molybdenum and some carbon

Although all stainless steel types share a common basic crystal structure, experts often categorize them into various types to serve different usage conditions. The list of the five most commonly applied grades of stainless steel in today's industries includes austenitic, ferritic, duplex, and precipitation.

Austenitic - the most frequently used types of stainless steel

Austenitic is one of the most common stainless steel grades, characterized by a high chromium content ranging from approximately 16% to 26% and a significant nickel content ranging from about 6% to 22%. The unique stainless steel chemical composition type provides it with outstanding corrosion resistance, enabling it to retain its mechanical properties even in acidic and alkaline environments. This makes austenitic steel a preferred material in industries such as medical, food, chemical, and energy.

Within the Austenitic stainless steel types, there are numerous smaller classifications, but 304 and 316 are two types of stainless steel grades that remain the most popular and widely used due to their superior properties, making them easily applicable in various environments at a relatively reasonable cost.

Austenitic is one of the most common stainless steel grades with superior corrosion resistance

304 stainless steel material properties and characteristic

Stainless steel type 304 boasts a high chromium content ranging from 18% to 20% and a nickel content of 10%, enabling it to resist corrosion effectively in moist environments or mild chemical solvents. While not the hardest product among stainless steel types, 304 makes highlight for its flexibility in fabrication processes such as cutting, welding, and bending.

The 304 stainless steel grade is commonly found in various applications related to the mechanical and construction industries, ranging from manufacturing intricate components to assembling large structures. Additionally, it is easy to clean and maintain, facilitating the maintenance of its shiny appearance over time, making it a popular choice in the food industry and household appliances.

316 stainless steel composition and features

Stainless steel 316 possesses a chromium content of 18% and a high nickel content of 14%, resulting in higher corrosion resistance compared to 304 stainless steel grades. Additionally, the 316 stainless steel contains a special component, Molybdenum, which plays a key role in enhancing corrosion resistance in saltwater environments.

With the presence of molybdenum in its structure, stainless steel 316 can maintain its structure and stability in saltwater, acidic, and chemical environments. Therefore, it is commonly used in medical applications, the petroleum industry, maritime industry, and environments where durability is crucial for the longevity and performance of working components.

Ferritic stainless steel

With a chromium content ranging from 11% to 27% and a stable ferritic content, this stainless steel is able to withstand oxidative corrosion factors. However, the corrosion resistance of Ferritic stainless steel grades is not as high as Austenitic steel due to the absence or very low presence of nickel in its composition.

Ferritic have higher thermal conductivity compared to other types of stainless steel

Ferritic steel offers superior hardness compared to other types of stainless steel, and it also exhibits magnetic properties due to the ferritic crystal lattice structure in its composition. Ferritic alloys also have lower thermal expansion coefficients and higher thermal conductivity compared to other steel types, making them suitable choices for heat transfer applications such as cooking utensils, where effective heat conduction is important.

Martensitic -  the high hardness grades of stainless steel

Martensitic stainless steel is a suitable material for various industrial manufacturing applications due to its durability, with chromium content ranging from 11% to 18% and 1.2% carbon and nickel. Although its low nickel content affects its corrosion resistance compared to other stainless steel grades, the high carbon ratio creates a unique molecular structure, enhancing hardness and impact resistance.

Martensitic is common for applications where hardness and strength are crucial

Similar to Austenitic steel, Martensitic stainless steel also has several common classifications, with grades like 410 and 420 being among the most widely used in applications.

410 stainless steel types

410 stainless steel is commonly used in applications related to kitchen utensils such as knife manufacturing. Additionally, it is crafted into cutting tools and machine parts, appearing in industries that demand high hardness and durability.

With its martensitic structure, the steel exhibits high hardness and good load-bearing capacity. Although it lacks the corrosion resistance of other types of stainless steel like Austenitic, its chromium content is sufficient to form a protective oxide layer on the surface, shielding it from corrosive factors in normal environmental conditions.

420 stainless steel characteristics and applications

The 420 stainless steel grades boasts a chromium content reaching 15%, along with a higher carbon level compared to 410 stainless steel. It is evident that this steel variant offers superior mechanical properties as it can meet requirements for strength and exhibit excellent corrosion resistance in various environments, even under harsh conditions. Based on these advantages, the 420 steel grade is not only utilized in manufacturing industries but also considered an ideal choice in the oil and chemical production sectors.

Duplex - the best corrosion resistance types of stainless steels

Duplex stainless steel is the unique combination of two crystal structures, Austenitic and Ferritic, hence its microstructure is equally impacted by both phases, with each phase constituting approximately 50% of the overall structure. Therefore, it provides excellent corrosion resistance in various environments, including the corrosive radiation environment of salt and acidic conditions.

Duplex are renowned for exceptional corrosion resistance in wide range of environments

Furthermore, this combination also provides high hardness to Duplex steel without compromising its flexibility in design, allowing manufacturers to process it into various shapes and sizes as desired. Despite being the most advanced corrosion-resistant material among stainless steel types, Duplex steel often has lower manufacturing costs compared to common stainless steel grades like 304, 306, or 410.

Precipitation - the most common types of stainless steel in aerospace

Similar to the Duplex steel, Precipitation steel is a blend of two stainless steel alloys, Martensitic and Austenitic. The process of creating Precipitation steel involves complex heat treatment methods, where precipitate particles formed during the heat treatment process are the determining factor for its mechanical properties.

With high tensile strength capability, Precipitation is used in the aerospace industries

One of the outstanding advantages of this steel type is its ability to achieve tensile strength ranging from 850 MPa to 1700 MPa. Because of its high tensile strength capability, Precipitation stainless steel is commonly used in the aerospace and space industries. Specifically, aircraft and spacecraft components often require resilience to pressure, oscillation in harsh environmental conditions, so the use of this type of steel ensures safety as well as maximum performance for the equipment.

MRS Steel - The leading stainless steel supplier for your inquiries

In summary, each type of stainless steel has its strengths and characteristic properties, ranging from corrosion resistance, high durability to flexibility in processing and manufacturing, and each type has its own applications in various industries. Currently, Vietnam is emerging as a potential destination in the steel industry due to the rapid development of manufacturing capabilities of factories here as well as the ability to meet diverse product requirements, including stainless steel.

Additionally, Vietnam benefits from preferential import taxes under trade policies such as the CPTPP and EVFTA. These agreements not only offer advantages in terms of customs duties but also facilitate simplification of purchasing procedures between importers and exporters.

Finding a partner which optimize the process of finding factories is necessary for steel importer

Due to the advantages and potential of the steel industry in Vietnam, finding a reliable and professional partner in providing steel solutions is extremely important and necessary. An experienced and reputable partner will streamline legal procedures, optimize the process of finding factories and selecting products, thereby ensuring the best performance and quality for your project.

For any inquiries about stainless steel grades or other steel products, please contact MRS Steel for free consultation via Whatsapp: +84 76 911 2358 or Email: vanloc@mrssteel.com.vn.