What are the differences among 304, 304L, TP304 stainless steel pipe?
304 stainless steel pipe is widely used in the manufacture of equipment and machine parts with corrosion resistance and formability due to its outstanding heat resistance. Now, 304 stainless steel pipe has been widely used in food, chemical, atomic energy and other industrial equipment and decoration.
GB 304 chemical composition: C≤0.08, Si≤1.00, Mn≤2.00, P≤0.035, S≤0.030, Ni: 8.00-11.00, Cr: 17.00-19.00
Chemical composition of 304L stainless steel pipe: C≤0.03, Si≤1.00, Mn≤2.00, P≤0.035, S≤0.030, Ni: 8.00-11.00, Cr: 18.00-20.00
ASTM TP304 chemical composition: C≤0.08, Si≤1.00, Mn≤2.00, P≤0.045, S≤0.030, Ni: 8.00-11.00, Cr: 18.00-20.00
Differences between 304, TP304, and 304L stainless steel: 304 and TP304: 304 is a national standard, trademark 0Cr18Ni9, TP is the abbreviation of Tube/Pipe, which is an American standard. It is mainly used as a stainless steel pipe for piping; the main difference between national standard 304 and TP304 is Its Cr chromium content, during which TP304 has a higher chromium content, reaching more than 18, so its corrosion resistance and price are slightly higher than the national standard 304.
Comparison of 304 stainless steel pipe and 304L:
The main difference between 304L and 304 lies in the difference in carbon content. The carbon content of 304L is less than or equal to 0.08, and the carbon content of 304L is less than or equal to 0.03. Secondly, 304 is a versatile stainless steel, which is widely used in Manufacture equipment and parts that require outstanding inductive functions (corrosion resistance and formability), and 304L is a variant of 304 stainless steel with a low carbon content, which is used in welding applications. The low carbon content minimizes carbide separation in the heat-affected zone close to the weld, and carbide separation may cause intergranular corrosion of stainless steel in certain environments.
