Views: 10 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-07-03 Origin: Site
Stainless steel 316 is a widely used austenitic stainless steel known for its excellent corrosion resistance, high temperature resistance and good mechanical properties. Molybdenum gives 316 stainless steel a combination of corrosion resistance superior to that of 304 grades, with particular resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride environments. It is easy to bend or roll form, weld, braze and cut this grade by thermal and mechanical means.The austenitic structure of 316 stainless steel gives it excellent toughness, even at low temperatures.
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Type | Key Feature | Description |
SUS316 | Standard | Basic type with excellent overall corrosion resistance, toughness, and temperature strength |
SUS316L | Low Carbon | The low carbon content significantly reduces the risk of carbide precipitation during welding, thus minimizing the possibility of intergranular corrosion (weld corrosion). |
SUS316H | High Carbon | Higher carbon content provides better creep and tensile strength at high temperatures. |
SUS316Ti | Titanium Stabilized | Titanium is a strong carbide-forming element which, in combination with carbon, prevents the formation of chromium carbides, thus stabilizing the steel structure and avoiding intergranular corrosion |
SUS316LN | Low Carbon, Nitrogen-Enhanced | It has both the excellent weldability and intergranular corrosion resistance of 316L and increased strength through the addition of nitrogen. |
Advantages:
Superior corrosion resistance: especially in chlorides, acids and other harsh environments.
Good high-temperature strength: suitable for high-temperature working conditions.
Excellent mechanical properties: excellent strength and toughness.
Good weldability and workability.
Good hygiene: smooth surface, easy to clean, not easy to breed bacteria.
Disadvantages:
Higher cost: Due to the addition of molybdenum, 316 stainless steel is usually more expensive than 304 stainless steel.
Risk of weld corrosion (for 316): If the carbon content is high (not 316L), there may be a risk of intergranular corrosion after welding, requiring heat treatment or selection of low carbon 316L.
As an austenitic stainless steel, 316 stainless steel owes its excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties mainly to its unique chemical composition. It is based on iron and contains a high proportion of alloying elements: chromium (about 16-18%) provides basic corrosion resistance and passivation ability; nickel (about 10-14%) is the key to forming and stabilizing the austenitic structure, while significantly improving toughness and general corrosion resistance; the most critical element is molybdenum (about 2-3%), which greatly enhances the pitting and crevice corrosion resistance of 316 stainless steel in chloride-containing environments, which is also the main reason why it is superior to 304 stainless steel. In addition, 316 stainless steel also contains a small amount of manganese, silicon, phosphorus, sulfur and other elements, while the carbon content is usually controlled at a low level to reduce the risk of intergranular corrosion after welding.
Grade | C | Cr | Ni | Mo | Mn | Si | N | P | S |
316 | 0.08 | 16-18 | 10-14 | 2-3 | 2 | 0.75 | 0.1 | 0.045 | 0.03 |
316L | 0.03 | 16-18 | 10-14 | 2-3 | 2 | 0.75 | 0.1 | 0.045 | 0.03 |
316H | 0.04 - 0.10 | 16-18 | 10-14 | 2-3 | 2 | 0.75 | 0.045 | 0.03 | |
316Ti | 0.08 | 16-18 | 10-14 | 2-3 | 2 | 0.75 | 0.1 | 0.045 | 0.03 |
316LN | 0.03 | 16-18 | 10-14 | 2-3 | 2 | 0.75 | 0.10 - 0.16 | 0.045 | 0.03 |
Corrosion resistance
Corrosion resistance is better than 304 stainless steel, and it has good corrosion resistance in the production process of pulp and paper. Moreover, stainless steel 316 is also resistant to corrosion in marine and corrosive industrial atmospheres. Stress corrosion cracking will occur above about 60°C. In drinking water at room temperature, it can tolerate up to about 1000mg/L chloride without pitting, while at a temperature of 60°C, the tolerable chloride content is reduced to about 300mg/L.
316 is generally considered to be a standard "marine grade" stainless steel, but it is not completely resistant to corrosion in seawater. In many marine environments, 316 will also suffer from surface corrosion, usually brown rust, which is usually associated with crevices and surface roughness.
Heat resistance
Stainless steel 316 has good oxidation resistance in intermittent use below 871°C (1600°F) and continuous use above 927C° (1700°F). It is best not to use 316 stainless steel continuously within the range of 427°C-857°C (800°F-1575°F), but when used continuously outside this temperature range, stainless steel 316 has good heat resistance. 316L stainless steel has better resistance to carbide precipitation than 316 stainless steel and can be used in the above temperature range.
Heat treatment
Anneal in the temperature range of 850-1050°C, then rapidly anneal, and then rapidly cool. 316 stainless steel cannot be hardened by heat treatment. Heat treatment of stainless steel 316 is a key technology to tap its performance potential, covering processes such as annealing, solution treatment and aging treatment. Annealing can eliminate work hardening, reduce hardness and improve forming performance; solution treatment forms a uniform austenite structure through high temperature heating and rapid cooling, significantly improving corrosion resistance and processing performance; aging treatment precipitates alloy elements into precipitation phases on the basis of solution treatment, effectively enhancing material strength and hardness.
Welding
Stainless steel 316 has good welding performance, but appropriate process measures need to be taken during the welding process. In order to prevent problems such as intergranular corrosion and thermal cracking during welding, low current and fast welding methods are usually used to reduce welding heat input. At the same time, it is also very important to choose the right welding material. Generally, stainless steel electrodes or wires with similar composition to the parent material are used for welding to ensure that the performance of the welded joint is consistent with the parent material. The welded section of 316 stainless steel needs to be annealed after welding. If 316L stainless steel is used, no post-weld annealing is required.
Compared with the common 304 stainless steel, 316 stainless steel has certain differences in chemical composition and performance. The chromium content of 304 stainless steel is generally 18% - 20%, the nickel content is 8% - 10%, and it does not contain molybdenum. Therefore, 304 stainless steel has good corrosion resistance in general atmospheric environment and weak corrosive medium, but its corrosion resistance is obviously not as good as 316 stainless steel in chloride ion environment and reducing acid medium. In terms of price, since 316 stainless steel adds molybdenum element, the production cost is higher, so its price is usually about 10% - 30% more expensive than 304 stainless steel. In actual application, users need to choose the appropriate stainless steel material according to the specific use environment and requirements, comprehensively considering factors such as performance and cost.
Marine environment and ship equipment: It has strong resistance to seawater corrosion and is suitable for ship accessories, offshore platform equipment, etc.
Chemical and petrochemical industries: It is used to manufacture corrosion-resistant containers, pipes, heat exchangers, pumps and valves and other equipment.
Food processing equipment: It has good hygiene, is easy to clean and disinfect, and is used for food, beverage, and dairy processing equipment.
Pharmaceutical and medical equipment: Due to its excellent corrosion resistance and biocompatibility, it is widely used in surgical tools, medical devices, pharmaceutical equipment, etc.
Construction and decoration: It is used for building exterior walls, railings, etc. in coastal or heavily polluted environments.
Pulp and papermaking equipment: It can resist corrosive chemicals produced during pulp production.
316 stainless steel plays an important role in many fields with its unique composition and excellent performance characteristics. With the continuous development of science and technology and the increasing diversification of application needs, the performance of 316 stainless steel will continue to be optimized and its application scope will be further expanded, providing stronger support for the development of various industries.
-Pipe and Tube (EN 10216-5, ASTM A213, ASTM A249, A312, A790,)
-Forged Fitting and Flange (ASTM A182 , ASTM A105,ASTM B564 )
-Butt Weld Fittings (ASTM A234, ASTM A403,ASTM A815)
-Round bar , Billet (ASTM A276, ASTM A479)
- Plate, Sheet, Strip(ASTM A240, EN 10028-7, A480)
-Bolting, Nuts（ASTM A193, A194, A320）
