Austenitic Stainless Steel

These stainless steels have a nickel content of 9–12% and a chromium content of 17–18%. The AISI 304 (EN X5CrNi18-10 DIN 1.4301) alloy is largely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries to facilitate cleaning, good mechanical properties, and resistance to corrosion.

The 2% molybdenum content in AISI 316 (EN X5CrNiMo17-12-2 DIN 1.4401) protects against the possible low presence of chlorides or salt spray. The combination of nickel, chromium, and molybdenum in this alloy blocks corrosion due to pitting, which would lead to the formation of holes in the material. The austenitic structure of these steels make them non-magnetic and preserves their tenacity at low temperatures. They are therefore used in the cryogenic sector to produce pressure parts.

The ‘low carbon’ 304L (ENX2CrNi18-9 DIN 1.4307) and 316L (EN X2CrNiMo17-12-2 DIN 1.4404) versions offer greater resistance to intergranular corrosion.