ClassificationsofStainlessSteel

Stainlesssteelsarecommonlydividedintofivegroups,dependingonthespecificamountsofalloyingelements,whichcontrolthemicrostructureofthe
alloy.

Austenitic

Austeniticstainlesssteelsarethemostweldableofthestainlessesandcanbedividedratherlooselyintothreegroups:commonchromiumnickel(300
series),manganesechromiumnickelnitrogen(200series)andspecialtyalloys.Austeniticisthemostpopularstainlesssteelgroupandisusedfor
numerousindustrialandconsumerapplications,suchasinchemicalplants,powerplants,foodprocessinganddairyequipment.Austeniticstainlesssteels
haveafacecenteredcubicstructure.Thoughgenerallyveryweldable,somegradescanbepronetosensitizationoftheweldheataffectedzoneandweld
metalhotcracking.

Ferritic

Ferriticstainlesssteelconsistsofironchromiumalloyswithbodycenteredcubiccrystalstructures.Theycanhavegoodductilityandformability,but
hightemperaturestrengthsarerelativelypoorwhencomparedtoausteniticgrades.Someferriticstainlesses(suchastypes409and405)used,for
example,inmufflers,exhaustsystems,kitchencountersandsinks,costlessthanotherstainlesssteels.OthermorehighlyalloyedsteelslowinCandN
(suchastypes444and261)aremorecostly,butarehighlyresistanttochlorides.

Martensitic

Martensiticstainlesssteels,suchastypes403,410,410NiMoand420,aresimilarincompositiontotheferritegroup,butcontainabalanceofCandNi
vs.CrandMohence,austeniteathightemperaturestransformstomartensiteatlowtemperatures.Likeferrite,theyalsohaveabodycenteredcubic
crystalstructureinthehardenedcondition.Thecarboncontentofthesehardenablesteelsaffectsformingandwelding.Toobtainusefulpropertiesand
preventcracking,theweldablemartensiticsusuallyrequirepreheatingandpostweldheattreatment.

Duplex

Primarilyusedinchemicalplantsandpipingapplications,theduplexstainlesssteelsaredevelopingrapidlytodayandhaveamicrostructureof
approximatelyequalamountsofferriteandaustenite.Duplexstainlesssteelstypicallycontainapproximately2225%chromiumand5%nickelwith
molybdenumandnitrogen.Althoughduplexandsomeausteniticsdohavesimilaralloyingelements,duplexeshavehigheryieldstrengthandgreater
stresscorrosioncrackingresistancetochloridethanausteniticstainlesssteels.

PrecipitationHardening

Precipitationhardeningstainlesssteelsarechromiumnickelstainlesses,whichcontainalloyingadditionssuchasaluminum,copperortitaniumthat
allowthemtobehardenedbyasolutionandagingheattreatment.Theycanbeeitherausteniticormartensiticintheagedcondition.Precipitation
hardeningstainlesssteelsaregroupedintothreetypes:martensitic,semiausteniticandaustenitic.Themartensitic(suchasType630)andsemiaustenitic
(suchasType631)canprovidehigherstrengththantheaustenitic(suchasType660,alsoknownasA286).

SelectingStainlessSteel

Theselectionofaparticulartypeofstainlesssteelwilldependonwhatrequirementsaparticularapplicationposes.Environment,expectedpartlifeand
extentofacceptablecorrosionallhelpdeterminewhattypeofstainlesstouse.Inmostcases,theprimaryfactoriscorrosionresistance,followedbytarnish
andoxidationresistance.Otherfactorsincludetheabilitytowithstandpitting,crevicecorrosionandintergranularattack.Theaustenitic/higherchromium
stainlesssteels,usuallyrequiredinveryhighorverylowtemperatures,aregenerallymorecorrosionresistantthanthelowerchromiumferriticor
martensiticstainlesses.
Moststainlesssteelsareconsideredtohavegoodweldability.Itisimportanttomakesurejointsurfacesandanyfillermetalbekeptfreefromoxide,
organicmaterialorothercontamination.
Aprincipalconcerninselectingweldingfillermetalsforstainlesssteelsistomatchtheimportantpropertiesofthebasemetal.Inaddition,fornominally
austeniticandduplexstainlesssteels,oneshouldhavesomecontrolovertheweldmetal'sferritecontent.Specificationofferriteinnominallyausteniticand
duplexstainlesssteelweldsarebaseduponFerriteNumbers(FN)definedintheAWSA4.2M/A4.2:1997standard,StandardProceduresforCalibrating
MagneticInstrumentstoMeasuretheDeltaFerriteContentofAusteniticandDuplexFerriticAusteniticStainlessSteelWeldMetal.Recommendedbythe
AmericanSocietyofMechanicalEngineersCode,themagneticallydeterminedFNismuchsimplertoobtainandismorereproduciblethan
metallographicallydeterminedpercentferrite.
Whenselectingstainlesssteels,aweldermustalsoconsidersomethingcalled"sensitization."Ferriticstainlesssteelsandsomeausteniticstainless
steels,whichcontainappreciablefreecarbon(greaterthanabout0.04%C)canberenderedsensitivetointergranularcorrosionintheheataffectedzone
(HAZ)ofaweld.Thissensitizationoccurswhereapeaktemperatureofabout900to1600 F(482to871 C)isreachedintheHAZ.Chromiumcarbides
precipitateongrainboundaries,andintheprocessofdoingso,chromiumasanalloyelementisdepletedinthemetaladjacenttothegrainboundaries.
Then,incorrosiveservice,thisCrdepletedmetalisselectivelyattacked.Lowweldingheatinputcanlimit,butnoteliminate,sensitization.Thebest
methodsofpreventingsensitizationareselectionofverylowcarbonbasemetal(lessthan0.03%C)orselectionofagradestabilizedwithtitaniumor
niobium(alsoknownascolumbium),suchastypes321or347.Notealsothatsensitizationisalmostneveraweldmetalproblemitislargelyaheat
affectedzoneproblem.