Stainless Steel - AISI 304 (Fe/Cr18/Ni10) - Material Information

Stainless Steel AISI 304, an austenitic chromium-nickel alloy, is among the most widely used stainless steels for industrial and structural applications. Recognized for its excellent combination of corrosion resistance, formability, and mechanical strength, AISI 304 has become a benchmark material in manufacturing, construction, and engineering sectors worldwide.

Material Overview

AISI 304 stainless steel typically contains 18–20% chromium and 8–10.5% nickel, with the balance being iron (Fe). Its austenitic microstructure, characterized by a face-centered cubic (FCC) lattice, provides high ductility and toughness even at cryogenic temperatures. The chromium content forms a thin, self-healing passive oxide film (Cr₂O₃), giving the alloy its corrosion-resistant “stainless” property. Nickel stabilizes the austenitic phase, enhancing both mechanical and thermal stability. Studies have shown that AISI 304 exhibits a linear thermal expansion coefficient of approximately (20.97–21.57)×10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ and superior oxidation resistance up to 870 °C (Fang et al., 2015).

Applications and Advantages

AISI 304 is used extensively in chemical processing, heat exchangers, kitchen equipment, architectural panels, and medical devices. It maintains tensile strengths around 515–750 MPa and elongations up to 60%, depending on processing history. Heat treatment studies reveal that prolonged exposure above 470 °C may cause chromium carbide precipitation at grain boundaries, reducing corrosion resistance and mechanical strength (Tukur et al., 2014; Dewangan & Sukhwal, 2023). However, solution annealing between 1050–1100 °C followed by rapid quenching restores corrosion resistance and ductility. The alloy’s non-magnetic nature and high surface polishability further enhance its suitability for cleanroom and decorative applications.

Goodfellow Availability

Goodfellow supplies AISI 304 stainless steel in various forms suitable for research and industrial applications. The material is available in high purity grades and can be provided with custom dimensions upon request. Whether for laboratory-scale projects or precision-engineered components, Goodfellow ensures reliable quality and traceable standards.

Explore Stainless Steel - AISI 304 (Fe/Cr18/Ni10) and other advanced materials in Goodfellow’s online catalogue: Goodfellow product finder.

References

• Fang, D., Qie, J., & Deng, H. (2015). Study on thermal physical properties of 304 stainless steel. In *Springer Materials Science Proceedings*, 10.1007/978-3-319-48217-0_13.
• Tukur, S. A., Dambatta, M. S., Ahmed, A., & Mu’az, N. M. (2014). Effect of heat treatment temperature on mechanical properties of AISI 304 stainless steel. *International Journal of Innovative Research in Science, Engineering and Technology.*
• Dewangan, S., & Sukhwal, G. (2023). Analysing the effect of thermal treatment with brine quenching on AISI 304 steel. *Acta Metallurgica Slovaca, 29*(3), 1826.
• Margolin, B., Petrov, S. N., Prokoshev, O. Y., & Kondrateva, A. (2022). Mechanical properties degradation modeling of austenitic chromium-nickel AISI 304 steel after thermal ageing. *Journal of Physics Conference Series, 2182*(1), 012023.