The difference between stainless steel 316 and 316L

Release time:

2024-12-24

There are significant differences between stainless steel 316 and 316L in many aspects. The following is a detailed comparative analysis:

1. Chemical composition
316 stainless steel: contains 17~20% chromium (Cr), 11~14% nickel (Ni) and 2~3% molybdenum (Mo), and its carbon (C) content is about 0.08%.
316L stainless steel: also contains 16~18% chromium (Cr), 10~14% nickel (Ni) and 2~3% molybdenum (Mo), but its carbon (C) content is lower, usually 0.03% the following.

2. Corrosion resistance
316 stainless steel: has good corrosion resistance and is suitable for a variety of corrosive environments.
316L stainless steel: Due to its lower carbon content, which reduces the formation of chromium carbide and thereby improves its resistance to intergranular corrosion, its corrosion resistance is generally better than that of 316 stainless steel, especially after welding.

3. Strength and hardness
316 Stainless Steel: Due to its higher carbon content, 316 stainless steel has higher strength and hardness.
316L stainless steel: Although its strength and hardness are relatively low, it has better toughness. The tensile strength of 316 stainless steel is required to be greater than 520MPa, while the tensile strength of 316L stainless steel is only required to be greater than 480MPa.

4. High temperature resistance
316 stainless steel: In the range of 800~1575℃, it is not recommended to use 316 stainless steel continuously because its resistance to carbide precipitation is relatively poor.
316L stainless steel: It has better resistance to carbide precipitation and can be used continuously in the range of 800~1575℃. It also has good oxidation resistance and performs in intermittent use below 1600℃ and continuous use below 700℃. good.

5. Welding performance
316 stainless steel: has good weldability, but the welded section may require post-weld annealing to improve corrosion resistance.
316L stainless steel: Due to its lower carbon content, it has better intergranular corrosion performance during welding, so it is more suitable for applications in some special environments, such as seawater environments. At the same time, 316L stainless steel can be welded using all standard welding methods.

6. Application fields
316 stainless steel: widely used in chemical industry, medical equipment, food processing and other fields.
316L stainless steel: In addition to the above application fields, due to its excellent corrosion resistance and welding performance, it is more commonly used in marine engineering, shipbuilding engineering and other occasions that require higher corrosion resistance.

To sum up, there are significant differences between stainless steel 316 and 316L in terms of chemical composition, corrosion resistance, strength and hardness, high temperature resistance, welding performance and application fields. Choosing which stainless steel to use depends on the specific application and needs.

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