Product Forms
Ingots, Slabs, Hot bands, Sheet, Strip

Typical Applications

  • Beer barrels
  • Chemical equipment
  • Coal hopper linings
  • Cooling coils
  • Cryogenic vessels and components
  • Dairy equipment
  • Evaporators
  • Feedwater tubing
  • Food handling equipment
  • Hypodermic needles
  • Nuclear vessels and components
  • Oil well filter screens
  • Pressure vessels
  • Sanitary fittings and valves
  • Shipping drums
  • Still tubes
  • Textile dyeing equipment
Chemical Composition
Carbon Manganese Silicon Chromium Nickel
T304 0.08 max.
T304L 0.03 max.		 2.00
max.		 1.00
max.		 18.00/
20.00		 8.00/
10.50

Typical Mechanical Properties
Finish/
Condition		 Yield
Strength
psi		 Tensile
Strength
psi		 Elongation
in 2 in.,
%		 Hardness
Rockwell
B
No. 1/2D Finish,
annealed		 39,000 87,000 56 82
No. 2/2B Finish,
skin passed		 46,000 89,000 55 86

Processing

  • Annealing
    Heat to 1850-2050°F and cool rapidly--light gauge sheets may be air cooled. Heavier sections should be water-quenched. Maximum corrosion resistance is obtained when final anneal is above 1950°F.
  • Hardening
    These grades can be hardened only by cold work. They will work harden less than Types 301 and 302 and are used where multiple drawing operations are necessary without intermediate anneals. See table of Typical Mechanical Properties.
  • Stress Relieving
     The recommended temperature range for stress relieving is 400-750°F.

Hot Working

  • Initial forging and pressing temperature--2100-2300°F.
  • Finishing temperature--1600°F.
  • Reductions under 1800°F should be light.

Forming
 These grades can be formed into most shapes. In many cases, more than one forming operation may be conducted before a reanneal is necessary.

Physical Properties
Density
lb./cu. in.		 Modulus of
Elasticity
in Tension
x 10^6, psi		 Specific
Heat
Btu/°F/lb		 Thermal
Conductivity
Btu/hr/ft^2/ft/		 Mean Coefficient
of Thermal Expansion
per °F(x 10^-6)		 Melting
Point
Range		 Electrical
Resistivity
microohn-cm
32-212 °F °F °F °F @ 70 °F
0.29 28.0 0.12 212 932 32-212 32-600 32-1000 32-1200 2550/2650 72
9.4 12.4 9.6 9.9 10.2 10.4

Elevated Temperature Strength
Creep Strength,
load for 1% elong
10,000 hr,psi		 Temperature
1000 °F 1100 °F 1200 °F 1300 °F
17,000 12,000 7000 4000

Welding
Type 304 lends itself exceptionally well to fabrication by welding. The welds are as strong and ductile as the parent metal since the material is non-air hardening. The material may be welded by the electric arc, gas fusion or electrical resistance welding processes. For gas or electric arc welding, Type 308 filler metal and electrodes are used.

Corrosion
Like Type 302, Type 304 in the fully annealed condition is highly resistant to the corrosive atmospheres of city, rural and seaside locations. Type 304 is also quite resistant to most organic acids. Because of its lower carbon content, Type 304 is less prone to carbide precipitation and may be used as welded in many applications.

Oxidation
Type 304 has excellent resistance to oxidation when used up to 1650°F in continuous service, and up to 1500°F in intermittent service.
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Type 304 and 304L Stainless Steels
Description
Type 304 (UNS S 30400) is the most widely used of the austenitic chromium-nickel stainless steels. Its carbon content is lower and its corrosion resistance somewhat higher than Type 302. In the annealed condition, Type 304, is essentially nonmagnetic and becomes slightly magnetic when cold worked. In the lower carbon Type 304L material, carbide precipitation as a result of welding will be minimized, resulting in less susceptibility to intergranular corrosion.