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Stainless Steel Standards

Reference data and engineering information about stainless steel standards for material properties applications.

stainlesssteelstandards

Overview

Engineering reference data for Stainless Steel Standards in material science and properties.

Key Formulas

Stress

σ=FA\sigma = \frac{F}{A}

Force per unit area.

Strain

ε=ΔLL0\varepsilon = \frac{\Delta L}{L_0}

Change in length per original length.

Hooke's Law

σ=Eε\sigma = E \varepsilon

Stress proportional to strain in elastic region.

Thermal Expansion

ΔL=αL0ΔT\Delta L = \alpha L_0 \Delta T

Length change due to temperature.

Variables

Symbol Description Unit
σ\sigma Stress Pa
ε\varepsilon Strain —
EE Young's modulus Pa
α\alpha Thermal expansion coefficient 1/°C
ΔT\Delta T Temperature change °C

International Stainless Steel Standards Comparison

The following table compares equivalent stainless steel grades across major international standards systems. When specifying materials for international projects, use this reference to identify equivalent grades.

Stainless Steel Classification

Stainless steels are classified into three main categories based on their microstructure:

Austenitic (Series 200/300) — Grades marked with superscript 1) in the table. Non-magnetic, excellent corrosion resistance, good formability. The most widely used stainless steel family. Contains chromium (16–26%) and nickel (6–22%), often with molybdenum for enhanced corrosion resistance.

Ferritic (Series 400) — Grades marked with superscript 3) in the table. Magnetic, good corrosion resistance, lower cost than austenitic. Contains chromium (10.5–30%) with little or no nickel. Examples: 409, 405, 410S.

Duplex and Super Duplex — Grades marked with superscript 2) in the table. Mixed microstructure of austenite and ferrite. Higher strength than austenitic grades with improved resistance to stress corrosion cracking. Contains chromium (21–26%), nickel (4–8%), molybdenum, and nitrogen. Examples: UNS31803, UNS32760.

Martensitic (Series 400) — Hardenable through heat treatment, magnetic. Contains chromium (11.5–18%) with higher carbon content. Used where high strength and moderate corrosion resistance are required. Examples: 403, 410, 414.

Designation System Notes

  • AISI/SAE (USA): Three-digit numerical system (e.g., 304, 316L)
  • DIN (Germany): Chemical composition in designation (e.g., X 5 CrNi 18 10)
  • Werkstoff Number (W.N.): 1.4xxx format for stainless steels
  • JIS (Japan): Prefixed with SUS (e.g., SUS 304)
  • GOST (Russia): Chemical composition notation (e.g., 08KH18N10)
  • EURONORM: Harmonized European standard format

References