You might need to choose stainless steel for a custom wire, basket or tray, and you may be wondering which type of steel you should choose. Each type of stainless steel alloy has its determining and distinct properties. These properties include tensile strength, melting point, oxidation, corrosion resistance and much more. You need to be informed of the different steel types and their properties when you are looking for the proper grade of stainless steel. Before you reach out to a supplier of stainless steel, let’s take a look at some of the most common types of stainless steel.
Five main categories of stainless steel and their functions
Stainless steel alloys can be categorised into the following five most common types. Let’s look at them one by one.
Austenitic stainless steel
These are the most typically used stainless steels. They tend to have a high chromium content. This makes them highly resistant to corrosion. Austenitic alloys are usually non-magnetic. However, they usually become magnetic after cold working.
Ferritic stainless steels
This is considered to be the second most common type. Ferritic stainless steel is magnetic. They could be hardened through treatment with cold working. They are a lot less expensive due to lower nickel content.
Martensitic stainless steels
These alloys usually have a lower corrosion resistance than the previous two types, but are significantly harder. They are deployed in applications that require a high tensile strength and robust impact resistance as well. Sometimes, they can provide protective coating for enhanced corrosion resistance.
Duplex stainless steels
These usually feature a mixed composition of austenite and ferrite. These steels offer much better corrosion resistance. They are a great choice against chloride pitting. They also provide higher tensile strength than standard austenitic steels.
Precipitation hardening stainless steel
These alloys are usually exceptionally sturdy and robust. They can attain strengths three to four times higher than standard austenitic steels with the aid of heat treatment. PH stainless steels are extremely common in aerospace, nuclear, and different types of oils and gas applications.
You should choose your stainless steel deliberately, based on the requirements of the application. As a leading supplier of stainless steel, Lolu Alloys Ltd can help you find the stainless steel of the most suitable quality depending on your requirements. Get in touch with us today.
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