Stainless Steel Grade 304 Vs 316

Stainless 316 is made up of 16 chromium 10 nickel and 2 molybdenum.

Stainless steel grade 304 vs 316. Though the stainless steel 304 alloy has a higher melting point grade 316 has a better resistance to chemicals and chlorides like salt than grade 304 stainless steel. Stainless 304 usually consists of 18 chromium and 8 nickel. The two steel grades are comparable in appearance chemical makeup and characteristics. 316 grade is the second most common form of stainless steel.

The addition of molybdenum provides pitting resistance in phosphoric acid acetic acid and dilute chloride solutions and provides corrosion resistance in sulfurous acid. A major difference between 304 and 316 stainless steel is the chemical composition with 316 containing a significant amount of molybdenum. When dealing with stainless steel materials people often have a tough time differentiating between 304 grade stainless steel and 316 grade stainless steel. Chromium increases tensile strength hardness hardenability toughness resistance to wear and abrasion resistance to corrosion and scaling at elevated temperatures.

Stainless 316 contains more nickel than stainless 304 while 304 contains more chromium than 316. The main difference between 304 vs 316 stainless steel is the composition and corrosion resistance ss304 doesn t contain molybdenum while ss316 contains 2 3 molybdenum. The key difference is that 316 stainless steel incorporates about 2 to 3 percent molybdenum. When it comes to applications with chlorinated solutions or exposure to salt grade 316 stainless steel is considered superior.

Additional alloys typically include nickel titanium aluminum copper nitrogen phosphorous selenium and molybdenum. The lack of understanding that persists can be justified given the fact that on the surface the two grades of stainless steel in question look extremely similar if not identical. It has almost the same physical and mechanical properties as 304 stainless steel and contains a similar material make up. 316 also contains silicon manganese and carbon with the majority of the composition being iron.

Type 316 stainless steel is an austenitic chromium nickel stainless and heat resisting steel with superior corrosion resistance as compared to other chromium nickel steels when exposed to many types of chemical corrodents such as sea water brine solutions and the like. Typically 2 to 3 percent. As part of the five families of stainless steel 304 stainless steel and 316 stainless steel are austenitic grades that contain high levels of chromium and nickel. Similar to 304 grade 316 stainless steel has high amounts of chromium and nickel.