Military Technical College

Chmedical Egineering Branch

Chemical Engineering Departemnet

Report On
Stainless Steel
Cadet / Ahmed Shokry

Supervisor
Brig-General.Dr / Mohamed Gobara

[1] What Is Stainless Steel?

Stainless steel is an alloy of Iron with a minimum of 10.5% Chromium Chromium

produces a thin layer of oxide on the surface of the steel known as the 'passive layer'.
This prevents any further corrosion of the surface. Increasing the amount of Chromium
gives an increased resistance to corrosion. thats way its considered as the most
common alloy for corrosion resistance.

Stainless steel also contains varying amounts of [Carbon, Silicon and Manganese. Other
elements such as Nickel and Molybdenum] may be added to impart other useful properties such
as enhanced formability and increased corrosion resistance.

The presence of the stable film prevents additional corrosion by acting as a barrier that limits
oxygen and water access to the underlying metal surface. Because the film forms so readily and
tightly, even only a few atomic layers reduce the rate of corrosion to very low levels.

In summary, stainless steel does not rust because it is sufficiently reactive to protect itself from
further attack by forming a passive corrosion product layer. (Other important metals such as
titanium and aluminum also rely on passive film formation for their corrosion resistance.) Because
of its durability and aesthetic appeal, stainless steel is used in a wide variety of products, ranging
from eating utensils to bank vaults to kitchen sinks.

Although stainless steel is much more resistant to corrosion than ordinary carbon or alloy steels,
in some circumstances and more aggressive conditions it can corrode.

when was satinless steel discovered There is a widely held view that stainless steel
was discovered in 1913 by Sheffield metallurgist Harry Brearley. He was experimenting with
different types of steel for weapons and noticed that a 13% Chromium steel had not corroded
after several months. However, the picture is much more complex than this. For a comprehensive
view read The Discovery of Stainless Steel.

[2] What is Satinless Steel used for ?

Stainless steels of various kinds are used in thousands of applications :

Domestic : cutlery, sinks, saucepans, washing machine drums, microwave oven liners, and
razor blades

Architectural/Civil Engineering : cladding, handrails, door and window fittings, street furniture,
structural sections, reinforcement bar, lighting columns, lintels and masonry supports

Transport : exhaust systems, car trim/grilles, road tankers, ship containers, ships chemical
tankersadn refuse vehicles

Chemical/Pharmaceutical : pressure vessels,and process piping.

Oil and Gas : platform accommodation, cable trays and subsea pipelines.
Water : Water and sewage treatment, water tubing and hot water tanks.

General : springs, fasteners (bolts, nuts and washers) and wire

[3] The Classes of Stainless Steel

Stainless steels are generally grouped into 5 different classes. Each is identified by the alloying
elements which affect their microstructure and for which each is named.

· Martensitic stainless steels

· Ferritic stainless steels

· Austenitic stainless steels

· Duplex (ferritic-austenitic) stainless steels

· Precipitation-Hardening (PH) stainless steels

(1) Martensitic stainless steels

Martensitic Stainless grades are a group of stainless alloys made to be be corrosion resistant
and harden-able (using heat treating). All martensitic grades are straightforward chromium
steels without nickel. All of these grades are magnetic.

Grade Types

Type 410 : A basic martensitic grade that contains lower alloy content. It has a relatively low
cost, and it is a general purpose, heat treatable stainless steel. Typically used where corrosion
is not too severe (such as air, water, some chemicals, and food acids.

Type 410S : Holds a lower carbon content than Type 410, but provides improved weldability
with lower hardenability.

Type 414 : This type has increased Nickel content (2%) for improved corrosion resistance.
Typical applications include springs and cutlery.

Type 416 : The added Phosphorus and Sulphur in this type allow for improved machinability.
Typical applications include screw machine parts.
Type 420 : Increased carbon in this type helps improve the mechanical properties. Typical
applications include surgical instruments.

Type 431 : Has increased chromium content for greater corrosion resistance and good
mechanical properties.

Type 440 : Further increases to the Chromium and Carbon content help improve toughness
and corrosion resistance of this type.

(2) Ferritic Stainless Steel

Ferritic Stainless grades resist corrosion and oxidation, whilst remaining resistant to stress
and cracking. Although these steels are magnetic, they cannot be hardened using heat
treatment. Once annealed these grades can be cold worked. They have a higher corrosion
resistance than martensitic grades These grades are straight Chromium steels with no Nickel .

Grade types

Type 430 : A basic grade that has less corrosion resistance than Type 304. This type has a
resistance to corrosives like nitric acid, sulfur gases, and many organic and food

Type 405 : This type has a lower chromium content combined with added aluminum. This
chemical makeup helps prevent hardening when cooled from high temperatures. Typical
applications include heat exchangers.

Type 409: One of the least expensive Stainless grades due to its decreased chromium
content. This type should only be used for interior or exterior parts in non-critical corrosive
environments

Type 434 : This type has an increased Molybdenum content that gives it improved corrosion
resistance

Type 436: This grade has columbium added for corrosion and heat resistance. Most typical
applications include deep-drawn parts.

(3) Austenitic Stainless Steel

 Austenitic Stainless is the most commonly used stainless class. The high Chromium and
Nickel content of the grades in this group provide superior corrosion resistance and very good
mechanical properties.None of the grades in this class are magnetic.

Standard Grades >>>The standard grades of austenitic stainless steel contain a maximum of
.08% carbon; there is no minimum carbon requirement .

· Low Carbon Grades (L Grades)

The “L” grades are used to provide extra corrosion resistance after welding. The letter “L”
after a stainless steel grade number indicates low carbon. Carbon levels are kept to .03% or
under to avoid carbide precipitation, which can lead to corrosion.

stainless mills offer these stainless grades as dual certified, such as

[304/304L or 316/316L].

· High Carbon Grades (H Grades)

Stainless “H” grades have a minimum of .04% carbon and a maximum of .10% carbon. The
higher carbon helps retain strength at extreme temperatures. These grades are indicated by
the letter “H” after the stainless grade number.

Grade Types

Type 304 : One of the most commonly used (Austenitic) Stainless grades. Its high content of
Chromium and Nickel make it a preferred choice when making processing equipment for the
chemical (mild chemicals), food/dairy and beverage industries. This grade possesses an
excellent combination of strength, corrosion resistance and fabric-ability.

Type 316: This Stainless grade has 18% chromium, 14% Nickel and added Molybdenum;
these in combination increase its resistance to corrosion.This grade will resist scaling at
temperatures up to 1600 It is also used in the marine industry due to its resistance to
corrosion.

Type 317 : Containing a higher percentage of molybdenum than 316, it is used in highly
corrosive environments. The Molybdenum content of this grade must be greater than 3%.
Commonly used in scrubber systems of air pollution control devices .

Type 321: Contains a Titanium addition of at least five times the carbon content. This addition
is made to reduce or eliminate chromium carbide precipitation – resulting from welding.
[4] How do I choose which stainless steel to use?

Most decisions about which steel to use are based on a combination of the following factors:

· What is the corrosive environment?

· What is the temperature of operation?

· What strength is required?

· What welding will be carried out?

· What product form is required?

· Availability

· Cost