316L is a stainless steel material grade, with AISI 316L being the corresponding American designation, and SUS 316L being the corresponding Japanese designation. China's unified numerical code is S31603, and the standard grade is 022Cr17Ni12Mo2 (new standard), while the old grade is 00Cr17Ni14Mo2, indicating that it mainly contains Cr, Ni, and Mo, with the numbers representing approximate percentages. The national standard is GB/T 20878-2007 (current version).

 

Chinese Name: 316L

 

Foreign Name: AISI 316L

 

 

Main Components: Cr, Ni, Mo

 

Standard Grade: 022Cr17Ni12Mo2

Chemical Composition

Carbon C: ≤0.030

 

Silicon Si: ≤1.00

 

Manganese Mn: ≤2.00

 

Sulfur S: ≤0.030

 

Phosphorus P: ≤0.045

 

Chromium Cr: 16.00~18.00

 

Nickel Ni: 10.00~14.00

 

Molybdenum Mo: 2.00~3.00

 

Folding This Section: Corrosion Resistance

316L is widely used in the chemical industry due to its excellent corrosion resistance. It is also a derivative of the 18-8 austenitic stainless steel series, with the addition of 2~3% Mo. Based on 316L, many steel grades have been derived, such as 316Ti with a small amount of Ti added, 316N with a small amount of N added, and 317L with increased Ni and Mo content.

 

Most of the 316L available on the market is produced according to American standards. For cost considerations, steel mills generally keep the Ni content of their products as close to the lower limit as possible. The American standard specifies that the Ni content of 316L is 10~14%, while the Japanese standard specifies a Ni content of 12~15%. According to the minimum standards, there is a 2% difference in Ni content between the American and Japanese standards, which translates to a significant price difference. Therefore, customers need to carefully check whether the product complies with ASTM or JIS standards when purchasing 316L products.

 

The Mo content in 316L gives this steel grade excellent pitting corrosion resistance, making it safe for use in environments containing Cl- and other halogen ions. Since the primary application of 316L is based on its chemical properties, steel mills have slightly lower surface inspection requirements for 316L (compared to 304). Customers with higher surface requirements should strengthen surface inspections.

 

Folding This Section: Mechanical Properties

Tensile Strength σb (MPa): ≥480

 

Yield Strength σ0.2 (MPa): ≥177

 

Elongation δ5 (%): ≥40

 

Reduction of Area ψ (%): ≥60

 

Hardness: ≤187 HB; ≤90 HRB; ≤200 HV

 

Density: 7.98 g/cm3;

 

Specific Heat Capacity (20°C): 0.502 J/(g·K)