When people use the term stainless steel,we usually think of cookware, countertops, home appliances, and many more. In reality, stainless steel has extensive usage from chemicals and pharmaceuticals to automobile manufacturing. Hence, stainless steel is obtained from iron and carbon. Chromium and other alloying elements such as nickel(Ni) distinguish stainless steel from other varieties. The chromium is added in batches ranging from 10.5% to 30% depending upon the application and environment in which the steel is used. Researchers say that the demand for stainless steel increases 5% every year and, in the past few years, the global production of stainless steel has reached over 52 million tons. Isn’t it interesting? Apart from traditional and marine construction, stainless steel has everything that your house needs. There are more than 100 grades of steel and steel dealers have grouped into five major types. In this post, let us see about different types of stainless steel and their uses.
Austenitic steel:
It is a widely used type of stainless steel. The austenitic steel contains high content chromium, nickel, and molybdenum. The chromium content is 16-26% and nickel up to 36%. The molybdenum is minimal compared to other alloying elements. It has high corrosion resistance and non-magnetic material. Unlike SAIL TMT Bar, they don’t require any heat treatment for hardening. Austenitic steel has 304 grades or 18/8, meaning 18 % of chromium and 8% of nickel. They are used in aircraft materials and dairy and food processing industries.
Ferritic stainless steel:
The carbon content in the ferritic steel is below 0.1% than other steel types. Hence, because of low carbon content, these steel are highly resistant to corrosion and don’t require heat treatment for hardening. Standard ferritic stainless steel contains 10.5% to 27% of chromium and nickel-free elements. They have a magnetic property and are used in architectural and auto trim.
Martensitic stainless steel:
These steels are harder and stronger than austenitic and ferritic steels. Typically, the martensitic steel has chromium content from 11.5% to 18%. Unlike other types of stainless steel, they require heat treatment for hardening. They are not resistant to corrosion and have high tensile strength. They are employed in surgical instruments, cutlery, wrenches, and turbines. The JSW steel dealers in Chennai are the high-rated dealers in the city for their standard and quality steels.
Duplex stainless steel:
Duplex steel is obtained by combining austenitic and ferritic stainless steel in equal amounts. Hence, they have high strength and are flexible as per requirements. It contains 21% to 27% of chromium, 1.35%-8% of nickel, 0.05%-3% of copper, and 0.05%-5% of molybdenum. It has high corrosion resistance and is employed in storage tank construction, offshore oil, and gas facilities.
Hence, these are the various types of stainless steel and their applications in various industries. If you are looking to purchase stainless steel, you can always purchase them with MS steel suppliers in Chennai.