5 Types of Stainless Steel used in Process Piping

people have been experimenting with metal alloys for thousands of years. while examples of iron smelting can be found as far back as 1800 b.c., the introduction of crucible steel goes as far back as 300 b.c.

stainless steel is a very versatile material. through the years, engineers have experimented with the production of alloys.

by adding and removing certain metals, they were able to produce different types of stainless steel with different characteristics and applications. for example, it is used in everything from the production of kitchen utensils to components for construction projects.

there are different types of stainless steel used in piping. after carbon steel, stainless steel is the second most widely used material in process industries as it offers excellent corrosion resistance properties.

stainless steel (ss) is a type of alloy steel with a minimum chromium content of 10.5% or more, and maximum carbon content of less than 1.20%.

ss has excellent resistance to corrosion and good ductility. stainless steel becomes corrosion resistive due to the formation of non-reactive chromium oxide (cr2o3) film on the surface. this film adheres tightly to the surface of the metal and this film acts as a barrier, therefore, protects metal from corrosion.

types of stainless steel

stainless steel properties got changed when its microstructure changed. based on this ss can be classified as follow;

austenitic stainless steel

ferritic stainless steel

martensitic stainless steel

precipitation hardened stainless steel

duplex / super duplex stainless steel