304 vs 316 Stainless Steel

Posted by freemexy on March 18th, 2021

Stainless steel stains less easily than other iron-based metals, but it's not literally "stainless". Just like standard steel, stainless can get marked up by fingerprints and grease, discolor, and eventually rust. The difference is resilience. Stainless steel can withstand much more time and abuse before showing signs of wear.To get more news about 304 stainless steel, you can visit stainless-steel-supplier official website.

All steels have the same basic iron and carbon composition, but stainless steel also contains a healthy dose of chromium-the alloy that gives stainless steel its famous corrosion resistance.

There are multiple grades called stainless steel, each with slightly different alloy composition, and therefore slightly different physical characteristics.

Stainless steel must contain at least 10.5 percent chromium. Depending on the grade, it may contain much higher chromium levels, and additional alloying ingredients like molybdenum, nickel, titanium, aluminum, copper, nitrogen, phosphorous or selenium.The two most common stainless steel grades are 304 and 316. The key difference is the addition of molybdenum, an alloy which drastically enhances corrosion resistance, especially for more saline or chloride-exposed environments.

316 stainless steel contains molybdenum. 304 stainless steel does not.

For outdoor furnishings like rails and bollards, stainless steel is an ideal corrosion-resistant material, but it will only withstand long-term exposure if the grade is appropriate for its environment. 304 is an economical and practical choice for most environments, but it doesn't have the chloride resistance of 316. The slightly higher price point of 316 is well worth it in areas with high chloride exposure, especially near the ocean or by heavily salted roadways. Each application for stainless steel has unique demands and needs a stainless steel that's up to the task.