304 Stainless Steel Sheet & Coil
Properties
.Stainless Steels Chromium-Nickel
Types 302 (S30200), 304 (S30400), 304L (S30403), 305 (S30500)
General Properties
Types 302 (S30200), 304 (S30400), 304L (S30403), and 305 (S30500) stainless steels are variations of the 18 percent chromium - 8 percent nickel austenitic alloy, the most familiar and most frequently used alloy in the stainless steel family. These alloys may be considered for a wide variety of applications where one or more of the following properties are important: resistance to corrosion, prevention of product contamination, resistance to oxidation, ease of fabrication, excellent formability, beauty of appearance, ease of cleaning, high strength with low weight, good strength and toughness at cryogenic temperatures, ready availability of a wide range of product forms.
Each alloy represents an excellent combination of corrosion resistance and fabricability. This combination of properties is the reason for the extensive use of these alloys which represent nearly one half of the total U.S. stainless steel production. Type 304 represents the largest volume followed by Type 304L. Types 302 and 305 are used in smaller quantities. Types 304 and 304L are available in a wide range of product forms including sheet, strip, foil and plate. The alloys are covered by a variety of specifications and codes relating to, or regulating, construction or use of equipment manufactured from these alloys for specific conditions. Food and beverage, sanitary, cryogenic, and pressure-containing applications are examples.
