The workhorse austenitic stainless — food, architectural, general corrosion resistance, weldable.
| Property | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Density | 8000 kg/m³ |
| Yield | ~210 MPa |
| Tensile | 500–700 MPa |
| Elongation | ~45 % |
| Young's E | 193 GPa |
| Hardness | ~215 HB |
| CTE | ~17 µm/m·K |
| Thermal cond. | ~16 W/m·K |
| Max service | ~870 °C |
| Poisson ν | ~0.29–0.30 |
| Shear modulus G | ~75 GPa (derived) |
| Shear strength | ≈0.6 × UTS (design convention — not test data) |
| Specific heat | ~500 J/kg·K |
| Elec. resistivity | ~0.73 µΩ·m |
| Melting range | ~1400–1450 °C |
| Fatigue (indicative) | ~175–245 MPa at 10⁷ (≈0.35 × UTS, annealed) — rotating-bend, polished specimen; indicative only, surface/size/loading factors apply |
~45%. Work-hardens fast; rigid setup, sharp tools, no dwelling.
Weldable all processes; use 308L/316L filler; L grade avoids sensitisation.
| System | Designation |
|---|---|
| EN | X5CrNi18-10 / 1.4301 (304L: X2CrNi19-11 / 1.4307) |
| DIN | X5CrNi18-10 / 1.4301 |
| AISI | 304 / 304L |
| ASTM | A240 / A276 304 |
| JIS | SUS304 / SUS304L |
| BS | BS 970 304S15 / 304S31 (304L: 304S11) |
| UNS | S30400 / S30403 |
Equivalents & alternatives: 1.4301/1.4307; AISI 304/304L; UNS S30400; A2 (fastener). Alt: 303 (machining), 316 (chloride corrosion).
Free-machining austenitic stainless — fittings, shafts, fasteners where corrosion + machining matter.
Stainless steelMolybdenum-bearing austenitic — the default grade for marine, chemical and chloride environments.
Stainless steelFerritic, magnetic, nickel-free stainless — trim, appliance panels, splashbacks. Cheaper than 304 with lower corrosion resistance and toughness.
