GENERAL PROPERTIES
Types 316 (UNS S31600), 316L (S31603), 317 (S31700) and 317L (S31703) are molybdenum-bearing austenitic stainless steels which are more resistant to general corrosion and pitting/crevice corrosion than the conventional chromium-nickel austenitic stainless steels such as Type 304. These alloys also offer higher creep, stress-to-rupture and tensile strength at elevated temperature. In addition to excellent corrosion resistance and strength properties, the Types 316, 316L, 317 and 317L Cr-Ni-Mo alloys also provide the excellent fabricability and formability which are typical of the austenitic stainless steels.
Applications for Types 316 and 316L alloys include acetic acid compounds, brandy vats, corn products refining equipment, fasteners, kettles for cooking ketchup, pharmaceutical processing equipment, phosphate industry parts, photographic film processing equipment, pitting-corrosion resistance, pulp and paper processing equipment, smokestacks, textile finishing equipment, textile mill kiers, water softener tanks, wire cloth and screens (industrial) and yeast tubes.
RESISTANCE TO CORROSION
Types 316, 316L, 317 and 317L are more resistant to atmospheric and other mild types of corrosion than Types 302, 304 and 304L. In general, media that do not corrode Types 302, 304 and 304L, will not attack these molybdenum-containing grades. One known exception is highly oxidizing acids such as nitric acid to which the molybdenum-bearing stainless steels are less resistant.
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