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 409 (UNS S40900, DIN 1.4512) is a general-purpose ferritic stainless steel, stabilised with titanium. It contains around 11% chromium (Cr), the bare minimum content to form a protective oxide layer, and provides a reasonably priced alternative to low carbon steel in mildly corrosive environments. Some rust may become visible, but this protects the base metal from further corrosion. It has better resistance to corrosion than coated carbon steel, for example. The primary application for this alloy is automotive exhaust systems, for which it was developed, and it tends to be used in applications where appearance is not critical. It is readily welded, and has good formability. It contains 10.5-11.75% chromium (Cr), up to 1% silicon (Si) and manganese (Mn), up to 0.08% carbon (C) and 0.48-0.75% titanium (Ti).


Design properties
Cost usd/kg
2-5
Embodied energy MJ/kg
51-75
Carbon footprint kgCO2e/kg
4.7-6.8
Density kg/m3
7680
Tensile modulus GPa
190
Tensile strength MPa
380-450
Hardness Mohs
4
Brinell hardness HB
131
Poissons ratio
0.28
Thermal expansion (µm/m)/ºC
11
Melt temperature ºC
1480-1530
Thermal conductivity W/mK
25.8
Temperature min-max °C
-40 to 500
Thermal
conductive
Electrical
conductor
Electrical resistivity µΩ⋅m
0.6