304 stainless steel has high hardness.
Hardness of 304 stainless steel: ≤201HBW≤92HRB≤210HV.
Hardness of 316 stainless steel: ≤187HBS≤90HRB≤200HV.
It can be seen that in the standard regulations, 304 stainless steel is slightly harder than 316 stainless steel, but there is no difference in actual use experience.
The difference between 316 stainless steel and 304 stainless steel
1. 316 stainless steel adds molybdenum to 304 stainless steel to make the steel have good resistance to reducing media and pitting corrosion resistance. In seawater and various other media, the corrosion resistance is better than 304 stainless steel, and it is mainly used for corrosion-resistant materials. Used in medical or heavy industrial equipment. The price of 304 stainless steel is relatively low and is usually used in daily life, kettles, chopsticks, etc.
2. The price of 304 stainless steel is very different from that of 316 stainless steel. The price of the latter can be as high as 2 times of the former.
304 and 316 hardness
1. There is almost no difference in hardness between stainless steel 316 and 304, but the corrosion resistance of 316 is better than that of 304.
2. 316 stainless steel contains Mo and has better corrosion resistance than 304 stainless steel in high temperature environments. Therefore, in high temperature environments, engineers generally choose parts made of 316 materials.
3. There are also differences between the two in terms of grades. 304 stainless steel corresponds to the Chinese grade 0Cr18Ni9316 stainless steel corresponds to the Chinese grade 0Cr17Ni12Mo2.
4. 316 mainly reduces the Cr content, increases the Ni content and increases Mo2%~3%. Therefore, its corrosion resistance is stronger than that of 304, and it is suitable for use in chemical industry, seawater and other environments. Similarly, the cost of 316 is also higher than that of 304. Generally, 316 is used in places with higher requirements to replace 304.
