Materials/Metals and alloys/Stainless steels
Austenitic stainless steels
stainless-austeniticAbout austenitic stainless steels
Austenitic stainless steels (304, 316, 316L): composition, strength and corrosion data with sources.
Austenitic stainless steels hold chromium and nickel in a face-centred cubic structure. They are not hardened by heat treatment, they are not magnetic when annealed, and they stay tough at low temperature. 304 is the general-purpose grade; 316 and 316L add molybdenum for chloride resistance.
At a glance
- Highest yield strength: Stainless steel 301 reaches 1,103 MPa. Lowest: Stainless steel 316L starts at 170 MPa. (15 of 15 grades have a sourced value.)
- Highest tensile strength: AISI 302 stainless steel reaches 2,200 MPa. Lowest: Stainless steel 316 starts at 480 MPa. (15 of 15 grades have a sourced value.)
- Highest density: AISI 321 stainless steel reaches 8.09 g/cm³. Lowest: Stainless steel 310S starts at 7.8 g/cm³. (14 of 15 grades have a sourced value.)
Ranges run across the conditions each source reports (temper, heat treatment, form), measured at room temperature where the source says so.
How they compare
The same measurements for every material in the collection. A range means the grade has values under several conditions; "at least" means the source gives a specified minimum. "no data" means no sourced value yet. For ranked tables, open a benchmark.
| Material | Yield strength | Tensile strength | Density | Young's modulus | Thermal conductivity | Melting point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel 304structural alloy | at least 205 MPa | at least 515 MPa | 7.85 to 8.06 g/cm³ | 200 GPa | 14 to 17 W/(m·K) | 1,400 to 1,450 °C |
| Stainless steel 301structural and spring alloy | 205 to 1,103 MPa | 515 to 1,276 MPa | 7.88 to 8.03 g/cm³ | 174 to 200 GPa | 16.3 to 21.4 W/(m·K) | 1,399 to 1,421 °C |
| Stainless steel 303free-machining structural alloy | 172 to 207 MPa | 500 to 517 MPa | 7.89 to 8.03 g/cm³ | 193 to 200 GPa | 15 W/(m·K) | 1,400 to 1,455 °C |
| Stainless steel 316structural alloy | 193 to 213 MPa | 480 to 620 MPa | 7.87 to 8.07 g/cm³ | 190 to 205 GPa | 13 to 17 W/(m·K) | 1,375 to 1,440 °C |
| Stainless steel 316Lcorrosion-resistant structural alloy | 170 to 290 MPa | 485 to 558 MPa | 7.99 to 8.03 g/cm³ | 193 to 200 GPa | 14.6 to 16.2 W/(m·K) | 1,390 to 1,440 °C |
| AISI 302 stainless steel18-8 austenitic spring and wire stainless steel with a higher carbon content than 304 | 195 to 338 MPa | 500 to 2,200 MPa | 7.9 g/cm³ | 193 to 200 GPa | 16.3 W/(m·K) | 1,400 to 1,420 °C |
| Stainless steel 304Lcorrosion-resistant structural alloy | 170 to 241 MPa | 485 to 586 MPa | 7.9 g/cm³ | 200 GPa | 16.3 to 21.4 W/(m·K) | 1,399 to 1,421 °C |
| AISI 309 stainless steelChromium-nickel austenitic stainless steel for hot oxidising and sulphur-bearing furnace service | 207 to 290 MPa | 517 to 621 MPa | 8.03 g/cm³ | 200 GPa | 15.6 to 18.7 W/(m·K) | 1,371 to 1,454 °C |
| Stainless steel 310Sheat-resistant structural alloy | 205 to 290 MPa | 500 to 750 MPa | 7.8 to 8.03 g/cm³ | 195 to 196 GPa | 13 to 15 W/(m·K) | 1,410 °C |
| AISI 317L stainless steelcorrosion-resistant structural alloy | 200 to 260 MPa | 500 to 700 MPa | 8.03 g/cm³ | 200 GPa | 13.5 to 14 W/(m·K) | 1,390 to 1,440 °C |
| AISI 321 stainless steeltitanium-stabilised austenitic stainless steel for high-temperature and welded service | 205 to 320 MPa | 515 to 586 MPa | 7.92 to 8.09 g/cm³ | 193 GPa | 15 W/(m·K) | 1,398 to 1,446 °C |
| AISI 347 stainless steelNiobium-stabilised austenitic stainless steel for welded, hot service | 205 to 250 MPa | 515 to 640 MPa | 7.96 g/cm³ | 193 GPa | 16.3 W/(m·K) | 1,398 to 1,446 °C |
| AISI 347H stainless steelHigh-carbon niobium-stabilised austenitic stainless steel for hot service | 205 to 252 MPa | 515 to 643 MPa | 7.9 to 7.98 g/cm³ | 200 GPa | 14 W/(m·K) | 1,399 to 1,446 °C |
| Super-austenitic stainless steel 904Lcorrosion-resistant austenitic alloy | 220 to 270 MPa | 490 to 730 MPa | 7.95 to 8 g/cm³ | 190 to 195 GPa | 12 W/(m·K) | 1,300 to 1,390 °C |
| Nitronic 60 stainless steelManganese-nitrogen austenitic stainless steel for galling and wear resistance | 345 to 393 MPa | 655 to 717 MPa | 7.62 gm/cm3 | 180 GPa | 9 Btu/ft hr °F | no data |
What these materials are made of
Composition by weight, as printed in the sources for each grade (the first constituents listed).
| Material | Main constituents |
|---|---|
| Stainless steel 304 | Fe balance · Cr 18 to 20% · Ni 8 to 11% · C up to 0.08% · Mn up to 2% · Si up to 1% · P up to 0.045% |
| Stainless steel 301 | Fe balance · Cr 16 to 18% · Ni 6 to 8% · Mn up to 2% · Si up to 1% · C up to 0.15% · N up to 0.1% |
| Stainless steel 303 | Fe balance · Cr 17 to 19% · Ni 8 to 10% · C up to 0.15% · Mn up to 2% · Si up to 1% · P up to 0.2% |
| Stainless steel 316 | Fe balance · Cr 16 to 18% · Ni 10 to 14% · Mo 2 to 3% · C up to 0.08% · Mn up to 2% · Si up to 0.75% |
| Stainless steel 316L | Fe balance · Cr 16 to 18% · Ni 10 to 14% · Mo 2 to 3% · C up to 0.03% · Mn up to 2% · Si up to 0.75% |
| Stainless steel 304L | Fe balance · Cr 18 to 20% · Ni 8 to 12% · C up to 0.03% · Mn up to 2% · Si up to 0.75% · P up to 0.045% |
| Stainless steel 310S | Fe balance · Cr 24 to 26% · Ni 19 to 22% · C up to 0.08% · Mn up to 2% · Si up to 1.5% · P up to 0.045% |
| AISI 317L stainless steel | Fe balance · Cr 18 to 20% · Ni 11 to 15% · Mo 3 to 4% · Mn up to 2.0% · Si up to 0.75% · C up to 0.03% |
| Super-austenitic stainless steel 904L | Fe balance · Cr 19.8% · Ni 24.2% · Mo 4.3% · Cu 1.4% · C up to 0.02% · Mn up to 2% |
Where they are used
| Use | Grades |
|---|---|
| Spacecraft propellant tank | Stainless steel 304 |
| Fasteners and screws | Stainless steel 304 |
| Architectural cladding | Stainless steel 304 |
| Aircraft structural parts | Stainless steel 301 |
| Truck and trailer bodies, railway and subway cars | Stainless steel 301 |
| Springs and hose clamps | Stainless steel 301 |
| Nuts, bolts and screws | Stainless steel 303 |
| Aircraft fittings | Stainless steel 303 |
| Shafts, gears and bushings | Stainless steel 303 |
| Aerospace structures | Stainless steel 316, Stainless steel 316L |
| Chemical storage, food processing and oil refining equipment | Stainless steel 316 |
| Parts exposed to marine atmospheres | Stainless steel 316L |
| Ultra-high-vacuum chamber walls (laboratory) | Stainless steel 316L |
| Springs, washers, screens and cables | AISI 302 stainless steel |
| Building facades and architectural or structural parts in non-marine atmospheres | AISI 302 stainless steel |
| Food, beverage and dairy equipment, heat exchangers, piping and process tanks | AISI 302 stainless steel |
When each grade fits
| Material | Best for | Weakest at |
|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel 304 | Corrosion-resistant housings, fasteners and tanks where ordinary steel would rust | Chloride pitting in acidic solutions, and low strength compared with precipitation-hardened steels |
| Stainless steel 301 | Springs, clips and light formed structures where cold-work strength matters more than corrosion resistance | Chloride pitting (critical pitting temperature below 10 C in Outokumpu's test) and carbide precipitation after welding or holding at 427 to 816 C |
| Stainless steel 303 | Heavily machined parts in mild service, such as screws, nuts, bolts, shafts and fittings (Aalco, UPMET) | Chloride and marine service, where Aalco says 303 is not suitable, and welded joints, where Aalco says weldability is poor |
| Stainless steel 316 | Chloride-bearing and marine-grade service where 304 would pit, in annealed sheet, bar and plate | Crevice and pitting attack in seawater condenser tubes, intergranular attack after heating between 500 and 900 C, and modest strength next to precipitation-hardened grades |
| Stainless steel 316L | Welded parts in chloride or marine service, and vacuum hardware that is vacuum-fired | Long holds near 650 C form sigma phase, and seawater service needs a pitting resistance equivalent number greater than 40 (Wikipedia) |
| AISI 302 stainless steel | Springs, washers, screens and wire parts that need an 18-8 stainless steel with more carbon than 304 for strength, while keeping ductility (Elgiloy datasheet) | Strength in the annealed state (about 290 MPa typical yield), and ductility after heavy cold work (elongation falls from 48 % at 0 % cold work to 2.2 % at 80 % cold work, fwmetals table) |
| Stainless steel 304L | Welded parts in corrosive service, where the as-welded condition must resist carbide precipitation | Sea water and chloride service: Carpenter rates 304 and 304L restricted in sea water, and no pitting number for 304L was found |
| AISI 309 stainless steel | Hot furnace and heat-treatment parts that must resist oxidation to about 1900 to 2000 °F and keep a useful share of their room-temperature strength (Rolled Alloys, NKS, Jacquet) | Carburising atmospheres and hot strength: moderate resistance to carbon absorption (Rolled Alloys), and typical tensile strength falls from 90.0 ksi at 77 °F to 55.0 ksi at 1200 °F (Jacquet) |
| Stainless steel 310S | Furnace and heat-treatment parts that run hot in oxidising air up to about 1,050 °C, with good creep strength and oxidation resistance | Sulphur-bearing hot gases, which cut the service limit to 950 °C, and long exposure between 650 and 900 °C, which causes sigma-phase embrittlement and chromium-carbide sensitisation |
| AISI 317L stainless steel | Chloride pitting resistance in process equipment, with a low-carbon grade that limits sensitization in welds | Strength in the annealed state (205 MPa minimum yield) and chloride stress cracking above about 49 °C |
| AISI 321 stainless steel | Welded parts that run hot in oxidising air, from 427 to 850 degC: titanium holds the grade against carbide precipitation in the 800 to 1500 degF range | Strength when annealed (about 241 MPa typical yield) and cold-work strength only, plus exposure of 900 to 1500 degF for long periods, which lowers general corrosion resistance |
| AISI 347 stainless steel | Welded hot-service parts that cannot be re-annealed afterwards: niobium stabilisation resists intergranular attack, and the grade is rated to 800 °C in air | Strength when hot: tensile strength falls from 93.3 ksi at 68 °F to 69.5 ksi at 800 °F (Rolled Alloys), and no vacuum, radiation or atomic-oxygen data were found |
| AISI 347H stainless steel | Welded parts for hot service in air and steam, where creep strength to 1500 degF is needed and niobium stabilisation resists intergranular attack in the as-welded condition | Strength when hot: typical tensile strength falls from 93.3 ksi at 68 degF to 69.5 ksi at 800 degF (Rolled Alloys), and no vacuum, radiation or atomic-oxygen data were found |
| Super-austenitic stainless steel 904L | Sulfuric and phosphoric acid plant, seawater condensers and heat exchangers, and pulp bleaching, in annealed sheet, plate, strip and tube, where 316L or 317L would corrode | Halide-containing acids and boiling magnesium or lithium chloride, where ATI's U-bend test cracked the alloy, and crevices in chloride water (ATI G-48 onset at 18 °C) |
| Nitronic 60 stainless steel | Fasteners, pins, bushings and valve trim that must resist galling and wear while staying austenitic and low in magnetic permeability | General corrosion resistance falls between Types 304 and 316, the alloy is hard to machine, the high-strength bar cannot be hot worked or welded without losing strength, and the sources print no space-environment data |
Materials
stainless-austenitic/nitronic-60
Steels and stainless • 28 sourced entries • 10 sources • 2026
stainless-austenitic/301-uns-s30100
Steels and stainless • 60 sourced entries • 9 sources • 2026
stainless-austenitic/302
Steels and stainless • 33 sourced entries • 10 sources • 2026
stainless-austenitic/303-uns-s30300
Steels and stainless • 40 sourced entries • 10 sources • 2026
stainless-austenitic/304l-uns-s30403
Steels and stainless • 33 sourced entries • 16 sources • 2026
stainless-austenitic/309
Steels and stainless • 31 sourced entries • 7 sources • 2026
stainless-austenitic/310s-uns-s31008-en-1-4845
Steels and stainless • 31 sourced entries • 10 sources • 2026
stainless-austenitic/321
Steels and stainless • 24 sourced entries • 10 sources • 2026
stainless-austenitic/317l
Steels and stainless • 30 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026
stainless-austenitic/316-uns-s31600
Steels and stainless • 35 sourced entries • 17 sources • 2026
stainless-austenitic/347
Steels and stainless • 25 sourced entries • 12 sources • 2026
stainless-austenitic/347h
Steels and stainless • 34 sourced entries • 8 sources • 2026
stainless-austenitic/316l-uns-s31603
Steels and stainless • 26 sourced entries • 23 sources • 2026
stainless-austenitic/904l-uns-n08904-en-1-4539
Steels and stainless • 38 sourced entries • 14 sources • 2026
stainless-austenitic/304-uns-s30400
Steels and stainless • 28 sourced entries • 12 sources • 2026