Ferritic Stainless Steel

Ferritic stainless steel is a kind of stainless steel with Cr content between 10.5% and 30% and C content less than 0.2%. It can be used as an alternative to 300 series stainless steel.

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What is ferritic stainless steel ?

Ferritic stainless steel is a kind of stainless steel with Cr content between 10.5% and 30% and C content less than 0.2%. This alloy steel cannot be hardened and heat treated.

Ferritic steel has large thermal conductivity, small expansion coefficient, excellent oxidation resistance and stress corrosion resistance. It is often used to make steam and water resistant parts

This kind of steel is not only cheap, but also can be used as an alternative to 300 series stainless steel.

Ferritic stainless steel

Ferritic steel composition

The content of Cr in ferritic stainless steel is about 10.5%-30% and the content of carbon is less than 0.2%. This steel generally does not contain Ni, but partly contains a small amount of Mo and Ti.

As the content of Cr in the steel is higher than that of common stainless steel, the steel has good hardness, oxidation resistance, and rust prevention.

Ferritic stainless steel grades

Our ferritic stainless steel grades are listed below

Steel Types

400 series stainless steel: Ordinary ferrite

This steel contains three kinds of chromium contents: low, medium and high.

Low chromium ferritic steels contain about 11-14% chromium. This kind of steel has good toughness and plasticity.

The chromium content of medium chromium ferrite steel is about 14-19%. This kind of steel has good rust resistance and corrosion resistance, small work hardening coefficient and good tensile properties. But the ductility is poor

High chromium ferritic steel contains about 19-30% chromium, which has good oxidation resistance and is suitable for use in the atmosphere

400 series stainless steel

High purity ferrite

The steel contains very low carbon and nitrogen elements, and more chromium, molybdenum, titanium, niobium, and other elements. The alloy steel has good mechanical properties, weldability, and corrosion resistance, and is widely used in strong corrosion environment

Ferritic stainless steel properties

Corrosion resistance

Uniform corrosion

The steel contains some Cr elements. In some corrosive medium, it has good corrosion resistance

Intergranular corrosion

The steel is susceptible to intergranular corrosion when it is rapidly cooled above 925 ℃, but it can be eliminated by tempering at 650-815 ℃ for a short time.

Stress corrosion cracking resistance

Due to the characteristics of microstructure, ferritic stainless steel has high stress corrosion cracking resistance

Strength

It has high strength and low cold work hardening tendency.

Ductility and formability

Ferritic stainless steels have low carbon content, so they have good ductility and formability, and there is no risk of weakening. It’s higher than most low carbon steel and lower than austenitic stainless steel

Thermal conductivity

It has good thermal conductivity and can conduct heat conduction effectively. Therefore, it is often used in heat exchanger and boiler materials, as well as other heat transfer parts

Antioxidant

Because Cr forms a protective chromium oxide film under certain conditions, this steel has excellent oxidation resistance, especially at high temperatures

Mechanical properties

Ferritic steel can not be strengthened by heat treatment because of its characteristics. It is usually used after annealing at 700-800 ℃. Its yield strength and tensile strength are higher than that of low carbon steel, and its elongation is worse than that of low carbon steel. Due to the presence of Cr in the steel, ferritic stainless steel is prone to embrittlement, so the steel should be heated at appropriate temperature

Magnetic

Most ferritic stainless steels have magnetism

Ferritic vs Austenitic stainless steel

Anti-seismic

The seismic performance of ferritic stainless steel is slightly stronger than that of austenitic stainless steel, and the same seismic requirement can be completed with thinner pipe wall

Thermal conductivity

Ferrite has a higher thermal conductivity

Corrosion resistance

Austenite has a higher corrosion resistance

Density

For the same volume, the weight of ferritic stainless steel is lighter than that of austenitic stainless steel

Magnetic

Austenite has no magnetism, ferrite has magnetism

Ferritic stainless steel applications

  • Water industry
  • Construction
  • Household-appliance business
  • Environmental protection industry
  • Chemical facilities
  • Automobile industry
Process Equipment-alloy application

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