Best Grade Of Stainless Steel For Saltwater

The 316 types are used widely in marine applications but their corrosion resistance in contact with seawater is limited and they cannot be considered corrosion proof under all situations.

Best grade of stainless steel for saltwater.

Marine grade stainless steel is a misunderstood description. Ss316 is often used for building nuclear reprocessing plants. The problem is it s susceptible to corrosion from saline environments like the coast. There is no industry recognized definition for a marine grade stainless steel though it is routinely used by many end users.

Grade 316 is probably the most common grade of stainless steel used in marine applications. 304 is the most popular stainless steel alloy available on the market. This alloy was first developed by firth brown steels nearly a century ago. This grade is the most commonly used for coastal applications.

Stainless steel has many different grades and lower grades are not suitable for marine applications. Also known as marine grade stainless steel due to its increased resistance to chloride corrosion compared to type 304. It s better to use high grade super duplex stainless steels like dp3w which has pren pitting resistant equivalent number more than 37 are the best. Selection of 316 304 and 303 types of stainless steels for seawater applications introduction.

It is an austenite steel meaning that it is non magnetic in nature. It has more molybdenum than other austenitic stainless steels which helps it to resist pitting and other corrosive effects of salt water. In a marine environment it must be made clear as to whether the stainless steel is submerged in seawater or is simply near enough to the seashore such that it can be attacked by the chloride present in seawater. Clinton offers sae 304 stainless steel which can also be found under the name a2 stainless steel or 18 8 stainless steel.

Rolex is an exception in that they use type 904l. The 304 option has proven to be resistant to corrosion and oxidation and offers a variety of appearances and finishes. 304 is commonly used in kitchen equipment storage tanks. Most watches that are made of stainless steel are made of this grade.

Meanwhile 304 stainless steel is the overall most popular grade regardless of application type.