Stainless, acid & heat resistant steel
Different types of stainless steel
Stainless steel is divided into groups. The most common groups are:
- Ferritic stainless steel – has a low carbon content with a chromium content between 13-30%. This type of stainless steel has a moderate corrosion resistance, is easy to shape and process and has a low price.
- Martensitic stainless – With the addition of at least 0.1% carbon, the steel can be hardened and then gives a higher strength compared to Ferritic stainless steels. Increased carbon content reduces the corrosion resistance of the steel. Martensitic steels therefore generally have a higher chromium content to compensate for this.
- Austenitic stainless – With a sufficiently high addition of nickel, you get a steel that is completely austenitic. Steel that is austenitic has a good formability at room temperature, as well as a significantly increased corrosion resistance due to the nickel content.
- Duplex (Ferritic + Austenitic) With a slightly lower nickel content, you get a steel that consists of both austenite and ferrite. These steels combine the good properties of the ferritic and austenitic steels. Duplex steel is often used in the cellulose industry, for example.
What does stainless steel mean?
The corrosion resistance of the steel is increased by adding chromium. The steel is defined as stainless when the value of the chromium content (Cr content) is above 11%. You can further increase the steel’s resistance to corrosion, by adding other alloying elements. Nickel in combination with Chromium prevents steel from corroding even in reducing environments. Molybdenum is another alloying element that helps to provide improved corrosion resistance. Stainless steels generally also provide better heat resistance compared to conventional steels.
We can supply all types of stainless steel – even customer-specific products – with short lead times. Welcome to contact us at Livallco!