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🧲 Only Know 304? Other Types of Stainless Steel You Should Know About! 2023/02/15

📦Understanding Stainless Steel Grades: From 201 to 904L, How Many Do You Know? 
In our daily lives, we encounter an incredible number of stainless steel products—thermos flasks, kitchenware, and appliance casings, to name a few. But when "stainless steel" is mentioned, most people only think of one number: "304."
📌 In fact, there are far more types of stainless steel than you might think.
Today, let's learn about them: In addition to 304, what other common stainless steel grades are there? What are their differences? Where are they best used?
📌 What is Stainless Steel? Why Doesn't It "Rust"?
🔸 Stainless steel is an alloy, mainly composed of metallic elements like iron, chromium, and nickel.
🔸 Chromium is the key element: When its content reaches 11% or more, it forms a "chromium oxide protective layer" on the steel's surface, which prevents rusting.
🔸 Nickel enhances corrosion resistance and workability, making it especially suitable for harsh environments or demanding applications.
Based on the different proportions of chromium and nickel, stainless steel can be broadly categorized into:
✔ 200 Series: Low nickel content, affordable but with poorer corrosion resistance
✔ 300 Series: High chromium, high nickel, most common, and highly durable
✔ 400 Series: Nickel-free or low nickel, strongly magnetic but with relatively insufficient corrosion resistance
📌 Introduction to Common Stainless Steel Grades
Here are a few practical and representative members of the stainless steel family👇

 🔶 304 (SUS304)
🔸 The most common, all-purpose grade
🔸 Contains about 18% chromium and 8% nickel
🔸 **Excellent corrosion resistance and workability**, with extremely broad applications: kitchenware, sinks, building materials, and piping
 🔶 316 (SUS316)
🔸 Contains an additional 2-3% of molybdenum (Mo) compared to 304
🔸 **More resistant to seawater, salt spray, acids, and alkalis**
🔸 Commonly used in **marine equipment, chemical plants, and food and pharmaceutical machinery**
 🔶 316L (SUS316L)
🔸 The "low-carbon version" of 316, with reduced carbon content to prevent intergranular corrosion
🔸 Suitable for **welded structures, medical equipment, and pharmaceutical pipelines**
 🔶 201 (SUS201) 
🔸 Lower nickel content, higher manganese and nitrogen
🔸 Lower cost, but **slightly weaker in corrosion and heat resistance**
🔸 Suitable for **interior decoration, building exteriors, and handrails**
 🔶 430 (SUS430) 
🔸 A ferritic stainless steel that is **clearly magnetic**
🔸 Affordable, but with **weaker corrosion resistance**
🔸 Commonly found in **kitchen appliance back panels, home appliance casings, and low-demand decorative items**
 🔶 904L (SUS904L) 
🔸 High content of chromium, nickel, copper, and molybdenum, providing exceptional corrosion resistance
🔸 Can withstand highly corrosive environments such as sulfuric and phosphoric acid
🔸 Commonly used in **chemical storage tanks, papermaking, textiles, marine, and high-end equipment**
📌 Summary: When Choosing Stainless Steel, Don't Just Look at the Price!
When selecting stainless steel, you can't just look at the numbers or the price. You must choose the right grade based on the environment and application requirements to achieve the best performance.
📌 Want to learn more about stainless steel? Or need advice on selecting the right material for your application?
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