High Performance

Austenitic Stainless Steel

Steel grades Applications
Outokumpu EN ASTM UNS ISO • Process equipment in chemical industry
• Bleaching equipment in the pulp and paper industry
4438 1.4438 317L S31703 4438-317–03-I
• Flue gas cleaning
4439 1.4439 317LMN S31726 4439-317-26-E • Desalination
904L 1.4539 904L N08904 4539–089–04-I • Seawater handling
• Hydrometallurgy
254 SMO ®
1.4547 – S31254 4547-312-54-I
• Food and beverage
4529 1.4529 – N08926/N08367 4529–089-26-I • Pharmaceuticals
4565 1.4565 – S34565 4565-345-65-I • Heat exchangers
654 SMO ®
1.4652 – S32654 4652-326-54-I

General characteristics
Characteristic properties High performance austenitic stainless steels differ substantially
from more conventional grades with regard to resistance to corro-
• Very good resistance to uniform corrosion sion and, in some cases, also mechanical and physical properties.
• Good to exceptionally good resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion This is mainly due to the high contents of chromium, nickel, molyb-
• Very good resistance to various types of stress corrosion cracking denum and nitrogen. High performance austentic stainless steels
• Very good ductility have good weldability and excellent formability.
• Good weldability   Outokumpu manufactures a number of steels of this type:
• Excellent formability 4438, 4439, 904L, 254 SMO®, 4529, 4565 and 654 SMO®.

Chemical composition Table 1

Outokumpu International steel No Chemical composition, % by wt. Typical values

steel name EN ASTM UNS ISO C N Cr Ni Mo Others
4404 1.4404 316L S31603 4404-316-03-I 0.02 17.2 10.1 2.1
4438 1.4438 317L 1
S31703 4438-317–03-I 0.02 18.2 13.7 3.1
4439 1.4439 317LMN S31726 4439-317-26-E 0.02 0.14 17.3 13.7 4.1
Austenitic

904L 1.4539 904L N08904 4539-089–04-I 0.01 20.0 25.0 4.3 1.5Cu
254 SMO® 1.4547 – S31254 4547-312-54-I 0.01 0.20 20.0 18.0 6.1 Cu
4529 1.4529 – N08926/N08367 4529-089-26-I 0.01 0.20 20.5 24.8 6.5 Cu
4565 1.4565 – S34565 4565-345-65-I 0.02 0.45 24.0 17.0 4.5 5.5Mn
654 SMO®
1.4652 – S32654 4652-326-54-I 0.01 0.50 24.0 22.0 7.3 3.5Mn Cu
Duplex

2205 1.4462 – S32205 4462-318–03-I 0.02 0.17 22.0 5.7 3.1

2507 1.4410 – S32750 4410-327-50-E 0.02 0.27 25.0 7.0 4.0
1
also available as 317L with 11.7% Ni which not confirm to 1.4438

High Performance Austenitic Stainless Steel - 1

Chemical composition Microstructure
The typical chemical composition of Outokumpu grades are shown The high performance austenitic stainless steels have a fully auste-
in Table 1. Grades 4404, 2205 and 2507 are added as refer- nitic microstructure in the quench annealed condition.
ence. The chemical composition of a specific steel grade may
vary slightly between different national standards. The required
standard will be fully met as specified on the order.

Mechanical properties at 20˚C Table 2

Minimum values
according to EN 10088 Typical values
P H C P (15 mm) H (4 mm) C (1 mm)
4438 Proof strength Rp0.2 MPa 220 220 240 300 – –
Proof strength Rp1.0 MPa 260 260 270 340 – –
Tensile strength Rm MPa 520 550 550 610 – –
Elongation A5 % 40 35 35 1
50 – –
Hardness HB – – – – – –
4439 Proof strength Rp0.2 MPa 270 270 290 310 – 415
Proof strength Rp1.0 MPa 310 310 320 350 – 430
Tensile strength Rm MPa 580 580 580 640 – 700
Elongation A5 % 40 35 35 1
50 – 461
Hardness HB – – – – – 862
904L Proof strength Rp0.2 MPa 220 220 240 260 280 340
Proof strength Rp1.0 MPa 260 260 270 285 330 375
Tensile strength Rm MPa 520 530 530 600 600 655
Elongation A5 % 35 35 35 1
50 45 381
Hardness HB – – – 155 150 822
254 SMO® Proof strength Rp0.2 MPa 300 300 320 320 390 375
Proof strength Rp1.0 MPa 340 340 350 350 440 415
Tensile strength Rm MPa 650 650 650 680 740 735
Elongation A5 % 40 35 35 1
50 45 411
Hardness HB – – – 160 190 872
4529 Proof strength Rp0.2 MPa 300 – – 320 – *
Proof strength Rp1.0 MPa 340 – – 340 – *
Tensile strength Rm MPa 650 – – 700 – *
Elongation A5 % 40 – – 50 – *
Hardness HB – – – 180 – *
4565 Proof strength Rp0.2 MPa 420 420 420 440 – *
Proof strength Rp1.0 MPa 460 460 460 480 – *
Tensile strength Rm MPa 800 800 800 825 – *
Elongation A5 % 30 30 30 1
55 – *
Hardness HB – – – 200 – *
654 SMO ®
Proof strength Rp0.2 MPa 430 430 430 460 – 520
Proof strength Rp1.0 MPa 470 470 470 490 – 590
Tensile strength Rm MPa 750 750 750 860 – 950
Elongation A5 % 40 40 40 1
60 – 59
Hardness HB – – – 200 – 226
P=hot rolled plate. H=hot rolled strip. C=cold rolled coil and sheet. *new product, typical values under establishment. 1A80. 2HRB.

2 - High Performance Austenitic Stainless Steel

Mechanical properties
The strength and elongation of 4438, 4439 and 904L are similar
to those for conventional austenitic stainless steels. The addition
of nitrogen in 254 SMO®, 4529, 4565 and 654 SMO® gives higher
proof strength and tensile strength, see Tables 2 and 3.
  Despite the greater strength of these steels, the possibilities
for cold as well as hot forming are very good.

Tensile properties at elevated temperatures, minimum values according to EN, MPa Table 3

100°C 200°C 300°C 400°C 500°C

4438 Proof strength Rp0.2 MPa 172 147 127 115 110
Proof strength Rp1.0 MPa 206 177 156 144 138
Tensile strength Rm MPa 430 390 380 - -
4439 Proof strength Rp0.2 MPa 225 185 165 150 -
Proof strength Rp1.0 MPa 255 210 190 175 -
Tensile strength Rm MPa 520 460 440 - -
904L Proof strength Rp0.2 MPa 205 175 145 125 110
Proof strength Rp1.0 MPa 235 205 175 155 140
Tensile strength Rm MPa 500 460 440 - -
254 SMO ®
Proof strength Rp0.2 MPa 230 190 170 160 148
Proof strength Rp1.0 MPa 270 225 200 190 180
Tensile strength Rm MPa 615 560 525 510 495
4529 Proof strength Rp0.2 MPa 230 190 170 160 -
Proof strength Rp1.0 MPa 270 225 205 190 -
Tensile strength Rm MPa 550 520 480 - -
4565 Proof strength Rp0.2 MPa 350 270 240 210 210
Proof strength Rp1.0 MPa 400 310 270 240 240
Tensile strength Rm MPa 750 640 640 610 -
654 SMO ®
Proof strength Rp0.2 MPa 350 315 300 295 280
Proof strength Rp1.0 MPa 390 355 335 330 310
Tensile strength Rm MPa 680 620 585 560 -

Physical properties
In Table 4 typical values of some physical properties are given for
grades 4438, 4439, 904L, 254 SMO®, 4565 and 654 SMO®.

Typical values according to EN 10088 Table 4

4438 4439 904L 254 SMO® 4529 4565 654 SMO®

Density g/cm3 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.1 8.0 8.0
Modulus of elasticity GPa 200 200 195 195 195 190 190
Linear expansion at (20 ➞ 100)°C x 10 /°C -6
16.0 16.0 15.8 16.5 15.8 14.5 15
Thermal conductivity W/m°C 14 14 12 14 12 12 11
Thermal capacity J/kg°C 500 500 450 500 450 450 500
Electric resistivity μΩm 0.85 0.85 1.0 0.85 1.0 0.92 0.78

High Performance Austenitic Stainless Steel - 3

Corrosion resistance Temperature, °C
100

Uniform corrosion
The high content of alloying elements gives the steels 4438, 80
4439, 904L, 254 SMO®, 4565 and 654 SMO® exceptionally good
resistance to uniform corrosion.
60
904L was originally developed to withstand environments 654 SMO®
involving dilute sulphuric acid and it is one of the few stainless
254 SMO®
steels that, at temperatures of up to 35°C, provides full resistance 40
in such environments within the entire range of concentration, from
4404
0 to 100%, Figure 1. 904L also offers good resistance to a number 904L
of other inorganic acids, e.g., phosphoric acid, as well as most 20
2
0 4 6 8 10
organic acids. Acids and acid solutions containing halide ions can HCl, weight-%
be very aggressive and the corrosion resistance of grades 4438,
4439 and 904L may be insufficient. Examples of such acids are Fig. 3. Isocorrosion curves, 0.1 mm/year, in pure hydrochloric acid.
hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, chloride contaminated sulphuric
acid, phosphoric acid produced according to the wet process (WPA)
at elevated temperatures, and also pickling acid based on nitric Temperature, °C
acid and hydrofluoric acid mixtures. In these cases 254 SMO®, 100
4529, 4565 and 654 SMO® are preferable and in certain cases
they can be an alternative to other considerably more expensive
80
alloys, Figures 2-5 and Tables 5 and 6.

60

Temperature, °C 654 SMO®

100
40

80 4404 254 SMO®

20
904L
904L 0 2 4 6 8 10
654 SMO® HF, weight-%
60

4404
Fig. 4. Isocorrosion curves, 0.1 mm/year, in pure hydrofluoric acid.
40
4404 4565
254 SMO®

20 Temperature, °C
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 100
H2SO4%

80
Fig. 1. Isocorrosion curves, 0.1 mm/year, in pure sulphuric acid.

60

Temperature, °C 654 SMO®

100
40

254 SMO®
4404 904L
80
20
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
254 SMO® H2SiF6, weight-%
654 SMO®
60
904L Fig. 5. Isocorrosion curves, 0.1 mm/year, in pure fluosilicic acid.
4565
40

4404

20
0 10 20 30 40 50
H2SO4, weight-%, + 2000 ppm Cl-

Fig. 2. Isocorrosion curves, 0.1 mm/year, in sulphuric acid containing 2000 ppm
chloride.

4 - High Performance Austenitic Stainless Steel

Uniform corrosion in wet process PRE values for some stainless steels Table 8
phosphoric acid at 60°C Table 5
Steel grade PRE
Steel grade Corrosion rate, mm/year 4404 24
4404 >5 4438 28
904L 1.2 4439 33
254 SMO® 0.05 2205 35
Composition: 54% P2O5, 0.06% HCl, 1.1% HF, 4.0% H2SO4, 0.27% Fe2O3,
0.17% Al2O3, 0.10% SiO2, 0.20% CaO and 0.70% MgO.
904L 34
2507 43
Uniform corrosion in pickling acid* at 25°C Table 6 254 SMO ®
43
Steel grade Corrosion rate, mm/year 4529 45
4404 >6 4565 46
904L 0.47 654 SMO ®
56
254 SMO ®
0.27
654 SMO ®
0.06 The PRE value can be used for rough comparisons of different
materials. A much more reliable means is to rank the steel
*Composition: 20% HNO3 + 4% HF.
according to the critical pitting temperature of the material (CPT).
  There are several different methods available to measure the
Fractional distillation of tall oil often needs better material than the
CPT. Figure 6 shows the CPT, as measured in the Avesta Cell (ASTM
4404, or even the more frequently used 4439. Table 7 presents
G 150), in a 1M NaCl solution (35,000 ppm or mg/l chloride ions).
the results of exposing test coupons at a Swedish tall oil plant with
The CPT value for mill finish surface may vary between different
the object of determining suitable material for woven packings of
product forms.
stainless steel.
  In this particular case, packings produced from about 20,000
km of 0.16 mm diameter 254 SMO® wire were used.
CPT, °C span CPT min - CPT max
100

Corrosion rates in a fatty acid column

for the distillation of tall oil at 235°C Table 7 90

Steel grade Corrosion rate, mm/year 80

4404 0.88 = less than

70
4439 0.29
904L 0.06
60

254 SMO ®
0.01
50

In hot concentrated caustic solutions the corrosion resistance is

40
mainly determined by the nickel content of the material, and 904L
in particular can be a good alternative to more conventional stain-
30
less steels.
  For more detailed information concerning the corrosion resistance
20
of the different steels in other environments, see the Outokumpu
Corrosion Handbook.
10

Pitting and crevice corrosion

Resistance to pitting corrosion (and also crevice corrosion) is 0
4307

4404

4432

4438

4439

904L

254 SMO®

4529

4565

654 SMO®

LDX 2101®

2304

LDX 2404®

2205

2507

determined mainly by the chromium, molybdenum and nitrogen

content in the material. This is often illustrated using the pitting
resistance equivalent (PRE) for the material, which can be calcu- Austenitic Duplex
lated using the formula: PRE = %Cr + 3.3 x %Mo + 16 x %N. PRE
values are presented in Table 8. Fig. 6. Typical critical pitting corrosion temperatures (CPT) in 1M NaCl measured
according to ASTM G 150 using the Avesta Cell. Test surfaces were wet ground
to P 320 mesh. CPT varies with product form and surface finish.

Grades 4529, 4565, and especially 654 SMO®, have such a good
resistance to pitting that common test methods are not sufficiently
aggressive to initiate any corrosion. A better measure of resistance
is given by evaluating the results of various crevice corrosion tests.

High Performance Austenitic Stainless Steel - 5

In narrow crevices the passive film may more easily be attacked Guide to material selection
and in unfavourable circumstances stainless steel can be Figure 8 illustrates to which approximate temperatures stainless
subjected to crevice corrosion. Examples of such narrow crevices steel can be used in aerated waters of varying chloride content.
may be under gaskets in flange fittings, under seals in certain Grades 4438 and 4439 has slightly higher resistance compared
types of plate heat exchangers, or under hard adherent deposits. to grade 4404, grade 4529 rather similar to 254 SMO®, and 4565
  Crevice corrosion occurs in the same environments as pitting, slightly higher compared to 254 SMO®. Grade 654 SMO has much
i.e. in chloride (halogenide) containing environments. Higher higher resistance compared to 4565. It should be underlined that
contents of chromium, molybdenum or nitrogen enhance the the resistance of a material is also influenced by factors other than
corrosion resistance of the steel, see Figure 7. temperature and chloride content. Examples of such factors are
weld defects, presence of oxide from welding, contamination of the
steel surface by particles of non-alloyed or low-alloyed steel, micro-
CCT, °C bial activity, pH and chlorination of water.
100
  In demanding cases, such as crevices under the seals of plate
heat exchangers or inside threaded connections, the lines for
90
crevice corrosion will move to the left, i.e. lower chloride content/
temperature can be accepted.
80

= less than
70
Temperature, °C
90
60
80
904L c
254 SMO® c
50 70

60
40 904L p
50
254 SMO® p
30
4404 c
40
2205 c
4404 p 2205 p
30
20

20
100 1000 10000 100000
10
Cl- ppm
p=pitting, full line c=crevice corrosion, broken line

0
4307

4404

4432

4438

4439

904L

254 SMO®

4529

4565

654 SMO®

LDX 2101®

2304

LDX 2404®

2205

2507

Fig. 8. Engineering diagram illustrating the risk of pitting and crevice corrosion
on high performance stainless steel in water of different chloride content or
temperature.
Austenitic Duplex

Fig. 7. Typical critical crevice corrosion temperature (CCT) according to ASTM

G 48 Method F. Test surfaces were dry ground to 120 mesh. CCT varies with
product form and surface finish.

6 - High Performance Austenitic Stainless Steel

Seawater Stress corrosion cracking
The high performance austenitic stainless steels 254 SMO®, Conventional stainless steels such as 4307 and 4404 are sens-
4529, 4565 and especially 654 SMO® are excellent materials for itive to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) under certain conditions,
seawater service. i.e. a special environment in combination with tensile stress in
  Natural seawater contains living organisms, which very quickly form the material and often also an elevated temperature.
a biofilm on stainless steel. This film increases the corrosion potential   Resistance to SCC increases with the increased content of
of the steel and thus, the risk of pitting and crevice corrosion. above all nickel and molybdenum. This implies that the high
  The activity of the biofilm is temperature related. Different organ- performance austenitic steels 904L, 254 SMO®, 4529, 4565
isms are adapted to the natural water temperature of their habitat. and 654 SMO® have very good resistance to SCC.
Their activity varies between the different seas around the world.   Different methods are used to rank stainless steel grades with
In cold seas the natural water is most aggressive at 25-30°C while regard to their resistance to SCC. The results can vary depending
the corresponding value in tropical seas is just above 30°C. The on the method and testing environment. The resistance to
biological activity ceases at higher temperatures. stress corrosion cracking in a chloride solution under evapor-
  In many seawater systems the water is chlorinated with either ative conditions can be determined according to the drop evapor-
chlorine or hypochlorite solutions to reduce the risk of fouling. ation method. Here a salt solution is allowed to slowly drip onto a
Both chlorine and hypochlorite are strongly oxidising agents and heated specimen, being subjected to tensile stress.
they cause the corrosion potential of the steel surface to exceed   By this method the threshold value is determined for the
what is normal in non-chlorinated seawater, which in turn means maximum relative stress resulting in rupture after 500 hours
increased risk of corrosion. In chlorinated seawater the aggressive- testing. The threshold value is usually expressed as a percentage
ness increases as the temperature rises. of the proof strength of the steel at 200°C.
  In crevice-free, welded constructions, 254 SMO® may normally   Figure 9 shows the results of such a test, where high perform-
be used in chlorinated seawater with a chlorine content of up to 1 ance austenitic steels and duplex steels offer considerably better
ppm at temperatures up to about 45°C. 654 SMO® should be used resistance to SCC than grade 4404.
for flange joints, or the surfaces of e.g. 254 SMO® flanges should   The resistance to alkaline SCC is more dependent on the
be overlay welded, e.g., using an ISO Ni Cr 25 Mo16 type filler, if nickel content of the material and also in this respect high
the temperature exceeds 30°C. Higher chlorine content can be performance austenitic steels are superior to conventional stain-
permitted if chlori­nation is intermittent. less steels. Nickel-based alloys are, however, to be preferred in
  Tests have indicated that 654 SMO® can be used in plate heat the most demanding conditions.
exchangers with chlorinated seawater as a cooling medium at
temperatures up to at least 60°C.
  The risk of crevice corrosion in non-chlorinated seawater is Minimum stress for failure, % of Rp0.2 at 200 °C
considerably lower. 254 SMO® has successfully been used in 120

some fifty installations for desalination of seawater according to

the reverse osmosis process. 654 SMO® is resistant to pitting in 100
natural boiling seawater.

80

60

40

20
<10

0
4404

904L

2507

254 SMO®

654 SMO®
2205

Fig. 9. Typical threshold stresses determined using the drop evaporation test.

High Performance Austenitic Stainless Steel - 7

Sulphide-induced stress corrosion cracking Galvanic corrosion
Hydrogen sulphide can sometimes cause embrittlement of ferritic The high performance austenitic steels 254 SMO®, 4529, 4565
steel and even of cold-worked duplex and austenitic steels. The and 654 SMO® are not affected by galvanic corrosion if they are
sensitivity to cracking increases when the environment contains connected to titanium in systems used for conveying seawater.
both hydrogen sulphide and chlorides. Such “sour” environments However, the rate of corrosion for copper alloys is increased if they
occur for example in the oil and gas industry. come into contact with most stainless steels (or with titanium). The
NACE MR0175/ISO 15156-3 provides requirements and recom- intensity of corrosion is closely related to the surface area ratio
mendations for selection of corrosion resistant alloys for use in oil between the stainless steel and the copper alloy, Figure 10. The
and natural gas production in H2S environments. It identifies mater- tests presented have been carried out with 254 SMO® but the rela-
ials that are resistant to cracking in a defined H2S containing envir- tion is the same for other high performance steels. The galvanic
onment, but does not guarantee that the material selected using effect is reduced somewhat if the seawater is chlorinated.
the standard will be immune from cracking under all service condi-
tions.
Austenitic steels 904L, 254 SMO®, 4529, 4565 and 654 Corrosion rate, mm/year
SMO® are included in NACE MR0175/ISO 15156-3. In accord- 1.0

ance with NACE MR0175/ISO 15156-3 solution annealed 904L, Muntz

metal
254 SMO®, 4529, 4565 and 654 SMO® are acceptable for use for 0.8
any component or equipment up to 60°C in sour environments, if
CuNi
the partial pressure of hydrogen sulphide (pH2S) does not exceed 1 0.6 70/30
bar (15 psi), or without restriction on temperature and pH2S if the
chloride concentration does not exceed 50 ppm. Further, solution
0.4 Monel
annealed 254 SMO®, 4529, 4565 and 654 SMO® are acceptable
for use up to 171°C or pH2S up to 7 bar (100 psi) if the chloride Al-bronze
concentration does not exceed 5000 ppm. 0.2

Intergranular corrosion 0.0

1 2 3 4 5 10
High performance austenitic steels have such a low carbon content
Area ratio 254 SMO®/Metal
that the risk of conventional intergranular corrosion caused by chro-
mium carbide precipitates in connection with welding is negligible.
Fig. 10. Galvanic cor­ro­sion of cop­per a
­ lloys in contact with 254 SMO® in slow
  This means that welding can be performed without risk of inter-
­moving sea­wa­ter at ­ambient tem­pe­ra­ture.
granular corrosion.

Erosion corrosion
Unlike copper alloys, stainless steel generally offers very good
resistance to impingement attack and there are no motives for
limiting the velocity of water, e.g. in piping systems that convey
seawater. Further, stainless steel is not sensitive to seawater that
has been contaminated by sulphur compounds or ammonia.
  In systems subjected to particles causing extreme wear, e.g.,
sand or salt crystals, the higher surface hardness of duplex steels
can in some cases be an advantage.

8 - High Performance Austenitic Stainless Steel

Fabrication 1000
654 SMO®
900
Forming 4565
800
All Outokumpu high performance austenitic grades have very good
254 SMO®

Engineering stress (MPa)

formability properties and are suitable for all forming processes 700
904L
available for stainless steel. The somewhat higher proof strength
600
and in some cases lower fracture elongation compared to the most 4404
common standard austenitic steel grades can impose small differ- 500

ences in forming behaviour, depending on chosen forming tech- 400

nique, such as an increased springback. This can be compensated
300
for, especially if the forming process can be designed for the specific
steel grade. Moreover, an excellent interplay between the high 200

proof strength, work hardening rate and elongation, make the high 100
nitrogen containing grades 4565 and 654 SMO® excellently suited
for light weight and cost effective applications with complex shapes. 0
0 20 40 60
The impact of a high strength varies for different forming tech-
Engineering Plastic Strain (%)
niques. Common for all high performance austenitic grades are that
the estimated forming forces will be higher than for the standard
Fig. 11. Enginering stress-strain curves for high performance austenitic grades
austenitic stainless steel grades. This effect will be reduced if down and standard austenitic grade 4404 (1.0 mm thick cold rolled).
gauging is possible. A common issue for the high strength steels
is the high proof strength which may result in higher demands on
the tool materials and the lubricant. Also in this respect attention 1.4
should be given to the possibility of down gauging.
For more information on forming properties, please contact 1.2
Outokumpu.
1
Cold forming
The high strength of the high nitrogen containing grades 4565 0.8
r-value

and 654 SMO® is clearly demonstrated when the stress- strain 4404
curves of high performance austenitic stainless steel grades are 0.6
904L
compared with the standard austenitic grade 4404, Figure 11. The
deformation hardening rate is almost similar for all the austenitic 0.4 254 SMO®
grades presented in Figure 11.
4565
The formability of Outokumpu’s high performance 0.2
austenitic stainless steel grades can be characterized in several 654 SMO®
ways. A sheet materials ability to withstand thinning during forming 0
is demonstrated by the r-value in different tensile directions and 0 45 90
the higher the r-value the better, 654 SMO® shows excellent Angle to rolling direction

r-values as illustrated in Figure 12.

Figure 13 gives a relative comparison of the formability in plane Fig. 12. r-values for high performance austenitic grades and standard austenitic
grade 4404.
strain condition between Outokumpu high performance austenitic
grades and the standard grade 4404. The ranking represents the
most critical failure mode in sheet forming, especially in forming
Formability in plane strain condition

operations dominated by thinning (stretching). In pure drawing, all 1.0

austenitic grades are comparable in that about the same limiting 0.9
drawing ratio can be drawn. 0.8
0.7
Hot forming 0.6
Suitable temperatures for hot forming are shown in Table 9. Higher 0.5
tempera­tures cause a deterioration in ductility and an increase in 0.4
the formation of oxides (scaling). Normally hot working should be 0.3
followed by solution annealing and quenching but, for 904L, if the 0.2
hot forming is discontinued at a temperature above 1100°C and 0.1
the material is quenched directly thereafter the material may be
0.0
used without subsequent heat treatment. It is important that the 904L 254 SMO® 4565 654 SMO® 4404
entire workpiece has been quenched from temperatures above
1100°C. In the case of partial heating or partial cooling below Fig. 13. Formability ranking of high performance austenitic grades in relation
1100°C or if the cooling has been too slow, hot working should to standard austenitic grade 4404.
always be followed by solution annealing and quenching.
  254 SMO®, 4565 and 654 SMO® should be quenched at a
temperature of at least 1150°C after hot working to remove inter-
metallic phases formed during the hot working operation. These
phases can also reoccur if the subsequent cooling process is too
slow, resulting in impaired corrosion resistance.

High Performance Austenitic Stainless Steel - 9

Characteristic temperatures, °C Table 9

4438 4439 904L 254 SMO® 4529 4565 654 SMO®

Hot forming** 1150-850 1150-850 1150-850 1200-1000 1150-850 1200-950 1200-1000
Solution annealing** 1070-1150 1060-1140 1060-1140 1150-1200* 1120-1180 1120-1170 1150-1200
Pressure vessel approval -196 - +475 -196 - +400 -196 - +400 -196 - +400 -196 - +400 -196 - +400 RT - +427***
*Quenching with water at a thickness above 2 mm, below 2 mm an annealing temperature of 1120-1150°C and cooling with air/water can be used.
**According to EN 10088-2. ***ASME Code Case 2195-1.

Machining Post fabrication treatment

Austenitic stainless steels work-harden quickly and this, together In order to restore the stainless steel surface and achieve good
with their high toughness, means that they are often perceived corrosion resistance after fabrication, it is often necessary to
as problematic from a machining perspective, e.g. in operations perform a post fabrication treatment.
such as turning, milling and drilling. This applies to an even greater   There are different methods available, both mechanical methods
extent to most highly alloyed steels and especially those that have such as brushing, blasting and grinding and chemical methods, e.g.
a high nitrogen content, i.e. 254 SMO®, 4529, 4565 and 654 pickling. Which method to apply depend on what consequences
SMO®. the fabrication caused, i.e. what type of imperfections to be
  However, with the right choice of tools, tool settings and cutting removed, but also on requirements with regard to corrosion resist-
speeds, these materials can be sucessfully machined. For further ance, hygiene and aesthetic appearance.
information see the Outokumpu Machining Guidelines for these   For more information, see the Outokumpu Welding Handbook.
grades.
Welding consumables Table 10
Welding
All these steels are well suited for welding and the methods used Steel grade Welding consumables
for welding conventional austenitic steels can also be used on Covered electrodes Wires
4438, 4439, 904L, 254 SMO®, 4529, 4565 and 654 SMO®. ISO 3581 ISO 14343
However, due to their stable austenitic structure, they are some- ISO 14172 ISO 18274
what more sensitive to hot cracking in connection with welding and 4438 317L 317L
generally welding should be performed using a low heat input.
  On delivery, sheet, plate and other processed products 4439 19 13 4 NL or 19 13 4 NL or
20 25 5 CuL 20 25 5 CuL
have a homogeneous austenitic structure with an even distri-
bution of alloying elements in the material. Solidification after 904L 20 25 CuL 20 25 CuL
partial remelting, e.g. by welding, causes redistribution of certain 254 SMO ®
Ni Cr 21 Mo Fe Nb or Ni Cr 22 Mo 9 Nb
elements such as molybdenum, chromium and nickel. These vari- Ni Cr 25 Mo 16 or
ations, segregation, remain in the cast structure of the weld and P54*
can impair the corrosion resistance in certain environments.
4529 Ni Cr 21 Mo Fe Nb or Ni Cr 22 Mo 9 Nb
  Segregation tendency is less evident in 904L and this steel is Ni Cr 25 Mo 16 or
normally welded using a filler of the same composition as the base P54*
material and it can even be welded without filler. For 254 SMO®,
4565 Ni Cr 21 Mo Fe Nb or Ni Cr 22 Mo 9 Nb
4529, 4565 and 654 SMO®, the variation for molybdenum in partic-
Ni Cr 25 Mo 16 or
ular is so great that it must be compensated for by using fillers, which P54*
have a higher content of molybdenum. EN ISO Ni Cr 21 Mo Fe Nb
type of filler is normally used for welding 254 SMO® and 4529 and 654 SMO® Ni Cr 25 Mo 16 Ni Cr 25 Mo 16
ISO Ni Cr 25 Mo 16 type filler is recommended for the welding of *Avesta Welding designation. For use in certain oxidising environments, e.g.
4565 and 654 SMO®. chlorine dioxide stage in pulp bleaching plants, when welding 254 SMO®,
4529 or 4565.
  The effect of segregation after welding can also be reduced by
subsequent heat treatment and quench annealing, but such action
is normally limited to uncomplicated geometries, e.g., pipes, pipe
fittings and end pieces.
  In the case of multi-run welding, the workpiece should be
allowed to cool to 100°C before welding the next run. This is the
case for all four steels.
  For further information regarding joint selection and preparation,
welding techniques, heat input and post-weld cleaning, see the
Outokumpu Welding Handbook.

10 - High Performance Austenitic Stainless Steel

Products
Outokumpu products Table 11

Product 4438 4439 904L 254 SMO ®

4529 4565 654 SMO®
Hot rolled plate Quarto
Hot rolled coil and sheet
Cold rolled coil and sheet

Rod coil
Bars
Semifinished (bloom, billet, ingot, slab)
Pipe
See also outokumpu.com.

Material standards Table 12

EN 10028-7 Flat products for pressure purposes – Stainless steels

EN 10088-2 Stainless steels – Corrosion resisting sheet/plate/strip for general and construction purposes
EN 10088-3 Stainless steels – Corrosion resisting semi-finished products/bars/rods/wire/sections for general and
construction purposes
EN 10088-4 Technical delivery conditions for sheet/plate and strip of corrosion resisting steels for construction purposes
EN 10088-5 Technical delivery conditiions for bars, rods, wire, sections and bright products of corrosion resistant
steels for construction purposes
EN 10272 Stainless steel bars for pressure purposes
EN 10283 Corrosion resistant steel castings
ASTM A 193 / ASME SA-193 Alloy and stainless steel bolts and nuts for high pressure and high temperature service
ASTM A 240 / ASME SA-240 Heat-resisting Cr and Cr-Ni stainless steel plate/sheet/strip for pressure purposes
ASTM A 276 Stainless and heat-resisting steel bars/shapes
ASTM A 312 / ASME SA-312 Seamless and welded austenitic stainless steel pipe
ASTM A 351 / ASME SA-351 Steel castings, austenitic, duplex for pressure containing parts
ASTM A 358 / ASME SA-358 Electric fusion-welded austenitic Cr-Ni alloy steel pipe for high temperature
ASTM A 409 / ASME SA-409 Welded large diameter austenitic pipe for corrosive or high-temperature service
ASTM A 473 Stainless steel forgings for general use
ASTM A 479 / ASME SA-479 Stainless steel bars for boilers and other pressure vessels
ASTM A 743 Castings, Fe-Cr-Ni, corrosion resistant for general application
ASTM A 744 Castings, Fe-Cr-Ni, corrosion resistant for severe service
NACE MR0175 Sulphide stress cracking resistant material for oil field equipment
ASTM B 649 / ASME SB-649 Bar and wire
Norsok M-CR-630 Material data sheets for 6Mo stainless steel
VdTÜV WB 473 Austenitischer Stahl X 1 CrNiMoCuN 20 18 7 Werkstoff-Nr. 1.4547
VdTÜV WB 537 Stickstofflegierter austenitischer Stahl X2CrNiMnMoN 25-18-6-5 Werkstoff-Nr 1.4565

High Performance Austenitic Stainless Steel - 11

 1044EN-GB:7. Centrumtryck AB Avesta, May, 2013.
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Information given in this brochure may be subject to alterations without notice. Care has been taken to ensure that the contents of this publication are
accurate but Outokumpu and its affiliated companies do not accept responsibility for errors or for information which is found to be misleading. Suggestions for
or descriptions of the end use or application of products or methods of working are for information only and Outokumpu and its affiliated companies accept no
liability in respect thereof. Before using products supplied or manufactured by the company the customer should satisfy himself of their suitability.

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