308 stainless steel is an austenitic stainless steel, a low carbon nickel-chromium stainless steel. It has excellent corrosion resistance and good welding performance. The low carbon content (C≤0.08) of 308 stainless steel ensures its good resistance to intergranular corrosion, which gives it excellent performance in high-temperature environments. At the same time, the appropriate amount of chromium (Cr: 19.00 ~ 21.00) and nickel (Ni: 10.00 ~ 12.00) ensures a balance between its corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. 308L is a low-carbon stainless steel with less than 0.03 percent carbon content.
308 electrode is mainly used for welding some low-carbon steel and low alloy steel, such as ordinary carbon structural steel, and high-quality carbon structural steel. It can also be used to weld some stainless steels, including austenitic stainless steels such as 304 and 316. 308 electrode is a stainless steel electrode for welding austenitic stainless steel of 308 series. This electrode can be used to weld a variety of stainless steel materials with good corrosion resistance and high-temperature performance, such as 304, 304L, 316, 316L, and so on.
308 Stainless Steel Composition
| Element | Content (%) |
|---|---|
| Chromium, Cr | 19-21 |
| Nickel, Ni | 10-12 |
| Manganese, Mn | 2.00 |
| Silicon, Si | 1.0 |
| Carbon, C | 0.08 |
| Phosphorous, P | 0.045 |
| Sulfur, S | 0.030 |
| Iron, Fe | Bal |
308 Stainless Steel Mechanical Properties
| Mechanical Properties | Value |
|---|---|
| Tensile strength | 515 MPa |
| Yield strength | 205 MPa |
| Elongation at break (in 50 mm) | 40% |
308 Stainless Steel Physical Properties
- Density: 7.93 g/cm³.
- Melting point: 1375-1450°C
- Thermal expansion: 17 x 10-⁶ K-¹ in the range 20-100°C
- Thermal conductivity: 16.3 W/m.K at 100°C
- Specific heat: 500 J/kg.K
- Resistivity: 7.1 x 10-⁷ Ω-m
Forms
- Seamless / Welded Pipe: ASTM A312
- Seamless / Welded Tubing: ASTM A269
- Bar / Rod: ASTM A276 / A479
- Welding Consumable: AWS A5.9
- Plate
- Sheet
- Wire
308 Stainless Steel Properties
- Good corrosion resistance: 308 material has strong resistance to many chemical corrosive media such as acid, alkali, salt, etc., so it is widely used in the chemical industry, marine and other corrosive environments.
- Excellent mechanical properties: this material has good strength and toughness so that it can show good performance in high-intensity working environments.
- Good welding performance: due to its excellent welding performance, it can be easily welded operation, which gives this material a great advantage in manufacturing complex structures.
304 vs 308 Stainless Steel
Composition
Stainless steel 304 consists of 18 percent chromium and 8 percent nickel, while stainless steel 308 consists of 20 percent chromium and 10 percent nickel. This difference in composition causes them to differ in performance.
Performance
- Corrosion resistance: 304 stainless steel performs well in most chemical gases and neutral liquids, and is particularly suitable for use in wet or corrosive environments. While 308 grade still maintains good mechanical properties at high temperatures and is suitable for high-temperature environments.
- Processing performance: 304 stainless steel has good toughness and ductility, it is easy to process into a variety of shapes, suitable for household appliances and kitchen utensils. stainless steel 308 is suitable for arc welding, gas shielding welding and gas welding, and the work hardening tendency is small.
- High-temperature stability: 308 material presents better stability under high temperatures, suitable for use in high-temperature environments.
Application
- 304 stainless steel: Due to its excellent corrosion resistance and good processing performance, it is widely used in household goods, kitchenware, chemical equipment and engine parts and other fields.
- 308: Due to its high-temperature stability and suitability for arc welding, it is commonly used in food equipment, general chemical equipment and atomic energy industry equipment.
FAQ
308 stainless steel has excellent corrosion resistance, good welding performance with low carbon content, it is a low magnetic multi-purpose material.
316 stainless steel has better corrosion resistance than 308 because of the addition of Mo, so the corrosion resistance is excellent, and can be resistant to marine erosion and industrial atmospheric erosion.
Stainless steel 308 is used in equipment for foodstuffs, the general chemical industry, and the atomic energy industry.
Yes, 316 wire can weld material 308 stainless.
SS 308 welding rod is mainly used for welding austenitic stainless steels, such as 308, 308L, and 316 materials.
308 can be used for welding mild steel, and 308 electrodes are used for welding some low-carbon steel and low alloy steel, such as ordinary carbon structural steel, high-quality carbon structural steel, etc. In addition, 308 electrodes can also be used for welding some stainless steel, especially austenitic stainless steel, such as 304, 316, etc.