Stainless Steel - AISI 316L (Fe/Cr18/Ni10/Mo 3) - Material Information

Stainless Steel AISI 316L is a low-carbon variant of the molybdenum-bearing AISI 316 alloy, offering enhanced resistance to intergranular corrosion following welding or high-temperature exposure. It is one of the most widely used stainless steels in marine, chemical, and biomedical applications due to its exceptional corrosion resistance, weldability, and biocompatibility.

Material Overview

AISI 316L stainless steel consists of approximately 16–18% chromium, 10–14% nickel, and 2–3% molybdenum, with carbon content restricted to 0.03% or lower. This low carbon content minimizes carbide precipitation at grain boundaries, preserving corrosion resistance even after welding. Its microstructure is austenitic (γ-Fe) with traces of ferrite (δ-Fe), ensuring a good balance between strength and ductility. Studies have demonstrated that additively manufactured (SLM) 316L exhibits nearly 99.9% density and uniform microstructures, showing tensile strengths between 458–509 MPa with elongation up to 14.4% (Iqbal et al., 2019). The alloy maintains excellent corrosion resistance in NaCl environments due to the formation of a stable chromium-rich passive film (Zharkynbekova et al., 2024).

Applications and Advantages

AISI 316L is extensively used in marine pipelines, surgical instruments, implants, and chemical processing systems. Its superior pitting and crevice corrosion resistance make it ideal for chloride and saline conditions. Kožuh et al. (2013) reported that 316L’s base metal region exhibits the least corrosion damage compared to welded interfaces, highlighting its stable protective oxide layer. Additionally, heat treatment at 900 °C with slow cooling can induce chromium carbide precipitation, reducing resistance to intergranular corrosion in chloride environments (Inés & Mansilla, 2023). Welding and additive manufacturing of 316L retain mechanical integrity, with microhardness values in fusion zones reaching ~230 HV, higher than base metal regions (Mohammed et al., 2021). Overall, AISI 316L’s excellent mechanical strength, corrosion stability, and non-magnetic behavior make it the preferred choice for biomedical and seawater-exposed applications.

Goodfellow Availability

Goodfellow offers AISI 316L stainless steel in research-grade purity for use in scientific, medical, and industrial projects. The material is available with customizable dimensions and quality assurance suitable for corrosion-sensitive and high-performance environments. Users benefit from consistent material traceability and compatibility with precision manufacturing techniques.

Explore Stainless Steel - AISI 316L (Fe/Cr18/Ni10/Mo3) and other advanced materials in Goodfellow’s online catalogue: Goodfellow product finder.

References

• Iqbal, N., Jimenez-Melero, E., Ankalkhope, U., & Lawrence, J. (2019). Microstructure and mechanical properties of 316L stainless steel fabricated using selective laser melting. *MRS Advances*, 4, 1789–1798. https://doi.org/10.1557/ADV.2019.251
• Zharkynbekova, G., Yuldasheva, D., Ospanov, A., Talamona, D., & Perveen, A. (2024). Mechanical and corrosion performance of additively manufactured stainless steel 316L. *IEEE Conference on Mechanical and Industrial Manufacturing Technologies.* https://doi.org/10.1109/icmimt61937.2024.10585669
• Mohammed, H. G., Ginta, T. L., & Mustapha, M. (2021). The investigation of microstructure and mechanical properties of resistance spot welded AISI 316L austenitic stainless steel. *Materials Today: Proceedings*, 42, 1143–1150. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATPR.2020.07.258
• Kožuh, S., Goji?, M., Vrsalovi?, L., & Ivkovi?, B. (2013). Corrosion failure and microstructure analysis of AISI 316L stainless steels for ship pipeline before and after welding. *Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance.*
• Inés, M. N., & Mansilla, G. A. (2023). Incidence of heat treatment on the corrosive behavior of AISI 316L austenitic stainless steel. *Acta Metallurgica Slovaca, 29*(3), 1803. https://doi.org/10.36547/ams.29.3.1803