X5CrNi18-10 / AISI 304 / 1.4301 steel is a stainless steel, chromium-nickel, austenitic in structure, resistant to corrosion.
Corrosion-resistant steels according to the European standard have a designation starting with the letter X, followed by a number giving the average carbon content in hundredths of % and the main alloying element symbols along with their content, i.e. 18% Cr and 10% Ni.
It has good corrosion resistance in the environment, especially when in contact with water or moisture, but is not suitable for use in saline environments and those with high concentrations of chlorine. It can be subjected to plastic processing, such as cold forming, cold rolling or forging. The advantage of this grade of steel is good weldability. However, after welding, the material is not resistant to intergranular corrosion. In order to effectively prevent intergranular corrosion, chromium carbides must not be allowed to separate. This can be achieved by re-saturating the steel or reducing the carbon concentration. This steel can be used over a wide temperature range, reaching up to 500 °C.
Stainless steel X5CrNi18-10 / AISI 304 / 1.4301 chemical composition
A very important factor determining the mechanical properties of a given steel is its chemical composition. According to melt analysis, the chemical composition of X5CrNi18-10 steel should be in accordance with the values given in the table below.
| Designation | C in % max. | Cr % max | Ni % max | Mn % max. | P % max. | S % max. | Si % max. | N % max | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X5CrNi18-10 | 1.4301 | 0,07 | 17,5 - 19,5 | 8,0 - 10,5 | 2,0 | 0,045 | 0,015 | 1,0 | 0,11 |
Steel X5CrNi18-10 / AISI 304 / 1.4301 mechanical properties
| Steel | Mechanical properties | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steel mark | Rp0.2 [MPa] | Rm [MPa] | HB | Elongation [%] |
| X5CrNi18-10 | ≥ 230 | 540 - 750 | ≤215 | ≥45 |
X5CrNi18-10 / AISI 304 / 1.4301 steel application
X5CrNi18-10 steel is most often used as stainless steel, sometimes as a decorative material. The main areas of application are:
- automotive industry among others, vehicle components exposed to corrosion,
- architecture, among others, cladding for indoor and outdoor use, furniture,
- food industry, among others, milk tanks, dairy equipment, milk production facilities, storage tanks in breweries,
- chemical industry, among others, tanks for liquid oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen.
| EU EN | Steel number | USA AISI | France AFNOR | England BS |
| X5CrNi18-10 | 1.4301 | 304 | Z5CN18-09 Z6CN18-09 Z7CN18-09 | 304S15 304S31 |
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