304 Stainless Steel | 304L Stanless Steel

Corrosion Resistance and Performance

Both 304 and 304L stainless steel provide excellent resistance to corrosion in a wide range of environments, including atmospheric exposure, freshwater, and many chemical processes. They perform particularly well against oxidation and most organic and inorganic acids. However, they are not typically recommended for chloride-rich environments, such as marine applications, where pitting or crevice corrosion may occur.

These grades maintain good mechanical properties across a broad temperature range. They perform well at cryogenic temperatures, retaining toughness and impact resistance, and they also offer good oxidation resistance at elevated temperatures, making them suitable for heat-related applications.

Fabrication and Weldability

One of the key advantages of 304 stainless steel is its exceptional ease of fabrication. It can be readily formed, machined, rolled, and drawn into complex shapes. Both 304 and 304L are easily welded using standard welding techniques. The low carbon content of 304L makes it the preferred choice for heavy sections or extensively welded components, as it minimizes the risk of weld decay.

These grades also respond well to polishing and finishing, which is especially important in sanitary and aesthetic applications.

Common Industries and Applications

Due to their versatility, 304 and 304L stainless steels are used across a broad range of industries:

• Aerospace: Structural components, fasteners, and fittings where corrosion resistance and reliability are critical.
• Chemical Processing: Tanks, piping, heat exchangers, and vessels handling mildly corrosive chemicals.
• Food and Beverage Processing: Equipment, conveyors, storage tanks, and processing lines that require excellent cleanliness, corrosion resistance, and ease of sanitation.
• Oil and Gas: Piping, valves, and pressure-containing components used in non-chloride environments.
• Sanitary and Cryogenic Applications: Medical equipment, pharmaceutical processing systems, and low-temperature storage vessels.
• Pressure-Containing Applications: Pressure vessels, fittings, and components requiring strength and corrosion resistance under load.

Available Product Forms

304 and 304L stainless steels are available in a wide range of product forms, making them suitable for virtually any manufacturing or construction need. Common forms include:

• Round bar, hex bar, square bar, rectangle and flat bar
• Plate and sheet
• Hollow bar
• Tubing and pipe
• Forgings

This extensive availability allows engineers and designers to select the optimal form for their specific application without compromising material performance.

Conclusion

304 stainless steel and its low-carbon counterpart, 304L stainless steel, remain foundational materials across countless industries. Their combination of corrosion resistance, mechanical strength, fabrication ease, and wide product availability makes them a dependable and cost-effective solution for everything from food processing equipment to pressure-containing systems. With dual-certified 304/304L material now widely available, users can confidently specify these grades knowing they will perform reliably in both welded and non-welded applications for years to come.

Characteristics

Chemical Composition

* 304L stainless steel has a Ni range of 8.0–12. 0, but to be dual certified material must be within range of 304 stainless steel.

Mechanical Properties

Mechanical properties can be altered (increased/decreased) by many methods such as cold working or strain hardening, or by the addition or modification of chemistry. Grades such as 304L Condition B are strain hardened, while grades like 304LNi, or 304H are grades with altered chemistry. However, these grades are more specialized and may not be available in all forms and sizes.

Specialty Steel Supply makes all reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy and correctness of the data found on this website and the associated documents but makes no representations or warranties as to the data’s accuracy, correctness or reliability. All data are for general information only and not for providing design advice. It is the responsibility of the user to test specific alloys under actual service conditions to determine their suitability for a particular purpose.