Austenitic stainless steel

Austenitic

Austenitic stainless steel

Austenitic stainless steel - austenitic grades of stainless steel contain chromium and nickel. It is nickel that increases deformability and corrosion resistance. These steels are non-magnetic. They are well suited for heat treatment and welding. With an increase in the content of chromium and nickel, austenitic stainless steel has better resistance to oxidation at high temperatures. Such steels are also called heat-resistant steels.

Frequently Asked Questions About Austenitic Stainless Steel

Austenitic steel is a non-magnetic stainless steel containing high levels of chromium and nickel and having low levels of carbon. Known for their formability and corrosion resistance, austenitic steels are the most widely used grades of stainless steel. Austenitic stainless steel has austenite as its main phase at elevated and room temperatures.

Its main feature is the crystalline structure of molecules modified by exposure to high temperatures (over +700 °C). As a result, carbon atoms are located inside the cells, forming a solid solution. At the same time, when alloying additives are introduced, iron atoms are replaced by other metals in the crystal lattice structure. Stable steel with an austenitic structure contains about 18% Cr, 8% - 10% Ni and about 0.1% C. It is characterized by non-magnetic properties and high plasticity.

There are two types of austenitic stainless steel: chromium-nickel and chromium-manganese. Currently, chromium-nickel steel is the most widely produced stainless steel in the world. However, chromium-manganese steel is quickly gaining fans due to its excellent price/quality ratio.

Simply put, austenite is a solid solution of carbon in iron. This phase was named after the English metallurgist William Chandler Roberts-Austen, who studied the physical properties of metals and their alloys in the late 19th century.

Martensite differs from austenite in its crystal lattice. Austenite has a face-centered iron lattice, while martensite has a tetragonal lattice, close to the body-centered cubic lattice of iron.

Nickel, which stabilizes the austenitic structure of these steels, limits their widespread use, as it significantly increases the cost of these stainless steels. Austenitic grades are most often used, mainly because they provide a very predictable level of corrosion resistance with excellent mechanical properties. Their judicious use can save significant time and money in the manufacture of the final product. These steels are a convenient metal alloy, and the life cycle cost of the complete product is lower than many other materials. Some applications of austenitic stainless steel include the following:
- architecture (facing, facades);
- interior design;
- roofing and gutters;
- doors and windows;
- dishes, cutlery;
- benches and food preparation areas;
- food equipment;
- heat exchangers;
- kitchen sinks;
- ovens and parts of furnaces;
- chemical tanks.

Characteristics:
- excellent corrosion resistance;
- suitable for both cold and hot processing;
- high plasticity;
- optimal overall performance;
- wide range of applications;

The main feature of welding austenitic steels is to ensure the required chemical composition of the weld metal for different types of welded joints and spatial welding positions, taking into account the change in the depth of penetration of the base metal and the amount of deposited metal.

Residual austenite can be removed from the structure of high-carbon and alloy steels by heating to 300 - 350 °C, and from the structure of high-speed steels - up to 600 °C. However, at these temperatures, martensite contained in the structure of steels disintegrates into troostite and the hardness of the metal decreases.

List of austenitic stainless steel grades

List of stainless steel grades of the austenitic type. To get detailed information about a specific grade, follow the link from the list.

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