Stainless steel

4-20 usd/kg
Circularity potential
High
Strength
Very high
Production energy
High
Stiffness
Very high
Embodied CO2
High
Density
Extreme

Stainless steels have very good corrosion resistance compared to carbon steels, coupled with impressive mechanical properties. This combination is the result of the addition of a relatively high proportion of alloys, in particular chromium (Cr). They tend to be more expensive, and so reserved for applications that demand their superior properties.

Based on their crystalline structure, they are grouped in five families: ferritic, austenitic, martensitic, precipitation-hardening (PH) and duplex. Ferritic stainless steel is not seen much outside industrial applications, automotive and white goods, for which it is well suited. The lower alloy content makes it less expensive than the more common austenitic types.

Austenitic stainless steel, which includes the very popular 300 series, is a good all-rounder with high resistance to corrosion. It is non-magnetic (which makes it easy to distinguish from other steels), with excellent formability, machining properties and weldability.

Martensitic stainless steel has high hardness and strength, good for industrial applications, household appliances and some knife blades, with moderate resistance to corrosion. Its high hardness makes it relatively more difficult to form, cut and weld.

Duplex types are a modification on austenitic grades, designed to provide higher strength with comparable or improved corrosion resistance. PH stainless steels are a family of corrosion resistant alloys, which can be heat treated to tensile strength several times greater than austenitic types. They are used in very demanding applications in aerospace, off-shore and nuclear energy, for example.


Sustainability concerns
Non-renewable ingredients
Raw material generates polluting by-products


Type 321 (UNS S32100, DIN 1.4541) is similar to type 304, with the addition of titanium for improved welding and high-temperature resistance – the titanium acts as a stabiliser in the structure. As a result, it has excellent resistance to oxidation and corrosion and demonstrates good creep strength. It contains 17-19% chromium (Cr), 9-12% nickel (Ni), 2% manganese (Mn), 1% silicon (Si), 0.7% titanium (Ti), 0.08% carbon (C) and small amounts of phosphorous (P) and sulphur (S). It is suitable for cold forming, such as stamping, drawing and swaging. Applications tend to be industrial and include pressure vessels, aircraft parts, jet engines and exhausts.


Design properties
Cost usd/kg
4-12
Embodied energy MJ/kg
51-75
Carbon footprint kgCO2e/kg
4.7-6.8
Density kg/m3
8000
Tensile modulus GPa
193
Tensile strength MPa
240-620
Hardness Mohs
5
Brinell hardness HB
217
Poissons ratio
0.27
Thermal expansion (µm/m)/ºC
16.7
Melt temperature ºC
1425
Thermal conductivity W/mK
16.1
Temperature min-max °C
-250 to 500
Thermal
conductive
Electrical
conductor
Electrical resistivity µΩ⋅m
0.72