Stainless steels are used for their combined corrosion resistance and high strength.

Tensile Strength
0.2% Proof Strength
Impact Strength

The tensile strength and 0.2% proof strength options provide approximate comparisons between steels.
Refer to the data sheet of the chosen steel for detailed values.

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Austenitic Duplex Ferritic & Marstenitic  Magnetizability nil-low magnetic strongly magnetic  Electrical Resistivity  ohm.mm²/m at 20°C 0.70-1.00 0.80 0.60-0.70  Elastic Modulus  GPa at 20°C 200 200 200-220  Density g/cm3 7.90-8.10 7.80 7.70  Typical Melting Range  (deg C) 1400-1450 1410-1500 1430-1510  Specific Heat  J/kg.K at 20°C 440-500 450-480 420-460  Thermal Conductivity  W/mK at 20°C 12-15 15 20-30  Mean Thermal  Expansion 16-18 13-14 10-13  For more detailed data, refer to specific steels

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Some compositions can be used both for their stainless / aqueous corrosion resistance and for their creep / heat resisting characteristics.
Accordingly, some account must be taken of the effects of high temperature exposures and heat treatments on strength, toughness and corrosion resistance.

Corrosion and oxidation resistance
High temperature, higher stress applications
Effects of heating on corrosion resistance

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Austenitic chromium-nickel stainless steels remain ductile to the lowest temperature for which data are available. Other stainless steels of the ferritic, martensitic, duplex and precipitation- hardening type plus metals such as iron and constructional steels undergo a marked decrease in toughness at low temperatures.

Cryogenic Temperatures º C º K º F  Liquid Helium -269 4 -452  Liquid Hydrogen -253 20 -423  Liquid Nitrogen -196 77 -321  Liquid methane (LNG) -163 110 -258  Liquid ethylene (LEG) -104 169 -155  Solid carbon dioxide -78 195 -108  Liquid propane (LPG) -45 228 -49  Liquid freon -40 233 -40  Water as Ice 0 273 32

High fracture toughness values have been measured on various 18Cr10Ni and 18Cr12Ni3Mo type steels and weldments at -196°C and -269°C.
Austenite may become partially transformed to martensite by exposure to cyrogenic temperatures and/or by plastic deformation resulting in an abnormal increase in strength and hardness plus a pronounced magnetic response. These effects are confined to leaner Ni and Cr grades.

Austenitic Grades Ref. EURONORM 88&141: Minimum Values  CrNi, CrNiN    Long 20°C 85J  CrNiMo, CrNiMoN   -196°C 60-70J  CrNiTi, CrNiMoTi  Trans 20°C 55J  CrNiNb   -196°C 40-50J

High fracture toughness values have been measured on various 18Cr10Ni and 18Cr12Ni3Mo type steels and weldments at -196°C and -269°C. Refer to X2 CrNi 18 10, X2 CrNiN 18 10, X5 CrNi 18 10, X6 CrNiTi 18 10 and X2 CrMnNiN 18 8 7 for physical data at cryogenic temperatures.

Austenite may become partially transformed to martensite by exposure to cryogenic temperatures and/or by plastic deformationresulting in an abnormal increase in strength and hardness plus a pronounced magnetic response. These effects are confined to leaner Ni and Cr grades.

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