Material Introduction
304 stainless steel，also known as 18/8 stainless steel, European norm 1.4301, is the most common stainless steel. The steel contains both chromium (usually 18%) and nickel (usually 8%) metals as the main non-iron constituents. It is an austenite steel. It is not very electrically or thermally conductive, and is non-magnetic. It has a higher corrosion resistance than regular steel and is widely used because of the ease in which it is formed into various shapes.
Grade 304L is the low carbon version of 304. It does not require post-weld annealing and so is extensively used in heavy gauge components

Chemical composition

Typical compositional ranges for grade 304 stainless steel
Grade	304	304l
C	≤0.08	≤0.03
Si	≤1.00	≤1.00
Mn	≤2.00	≤2.00
Cr	18.00~20.00	18.00~20.00
N	≤0.10	-
P	≤0.045	≤0.035
S	≤0.03	≤0.03
Ni	8.00~11.00	8.00~11.00

Mechanical Properties

Typical mechanical properties for grade 304 stainless steel
Grade	304	304L
Tensile Strength (MPa) min	520	480
Yield Strength σ0.2 (MPa) min	205	175
Elongation (δ5 (%)) min	40	40
Hardness (HR B) max	90	90
Hardness (HB) max	187	187

Physical Properties

Typical physical properties for grade 304 stainless steel
Physical properties for grade 304 stainless steel
Grade	304/304L
Density (g/cm3)	7.93
Elastic Modulus (GPa)	194
Mean Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (μm/m/°C)0-100°C	17.3
Thermal Conductivity (W/m.K)	at 100°C	16.3
	at 500°C	21.5
Specific Heat 0-100°C (J/g.°C)	0.5
Electrical Resistivity （20℃，10-6Ω•m）	0.73

Range of Application
System Description:
304 stainless steel is the most widely used as a chromium - nickel stainless steel, as a widely used steel with good corrosion resistance, heat resistance, low temperature strength and mechanical properties; stamping, bending and other thermal processing, and no heat treatment hardening (temperature -196 ℃ ~ 800 ℃). Corrosion in the atmosphere, industrial atmosphere or if it is heavily contaminated areas, the need for timely clean to avoid corrosion. Suitable for use in food processing, storage and transport. It has good processing properties and weldability. Plate heat exchanger, bellows, household goods (1,2 tableware, cabinets, indoor pipes, water heaters, boilers, bath), auto parts (windshield wipers, muffler, mold products), medical equipment, building materials, chemical, food industry , agriculture, ship parts, millet mobile phones. 304 stainless steel is a nationally recognized food-grade stainless steel.

Typical applications include:
Food processing equipment, particularly in beer brewing, milk processing & wine making.
Kitchen benches, sinks, troughs, equipment and appliances
Architectural panelling, railings & trim
Chemical containers, including for transport
Heat Exchangers