Stainless steel foils made of different materials do have certain differences in performance, which are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
Corrosion resistance:
304 stainless steel: This stainless steel has good corrosion resistance and is suitable for most common environments, but may be affected in some strong acid and alkali environments.
316 stainless steel: It has stronger corrosion resistance than 304 stainless steel, especially suitable for marine environments, chemical industries, and high temperature and high humidity environments, because it contains molybdenum, which can enhance corrosion resistance to chlorides.
430 stainless steel: It is a ferritic stainless steel with slightly worse corrosion resistance than 304 and 316. It is suitable for use in general air environments, but not suitable for strong acid or high temperature environments.
Strength and hardness:
304 stainless steel: It has good strength and toughness, but is relatively soft and suitable for applications that require a certain degree of ductility.
316 stainless steel: Due to the presence of molybdenum, the strength and hardness of 316 stainless steel are slightly higher than 304, especially in high temperature and harsh environments.
430 stainless steel: Since it is a ferritic stainless steel, it has a relatively high hardness but poor ductility, so it is not suitable for applications that require bending or stretching.
High temperature resistance:
304 stainless steel: It has good high temperature resistance, but intergranular corrosion may occur at higher temperatures, so caution is required when using it in high temperature environments.
316 stainless steel: It has better high temperature resistance than 304, especially suitable for higher temperatures and harsh environments.
430 stainless steel: It has average high temperature resistance and is not suitable for long-term use in extremely high temperature environments.
Magnetism:
304 stainless steel: Austenitic stainless steel, usually non-magnetic, but a small amount of magnetism may be generated during processing.
316 stainless steel: It is also an austenitic stainless steel, usually non-magnetic.
430 stainless steel: It is a ferritic stainless steel with magnetism, suitable for applications that require magnetic materials.
Processing performance:
304 and 316 stainless steel: Both have good processability and are easy to form and weld, but 304 has slightly better processability than 316.
430 stainless steel: Compared with 304 and 316, 430 is more difficult to process and form, but the price is relatively cheap.
Price:
304 stainless steel: Relatively economical, common and suitable for most ordinary industrial environments.
316 stainless steel: Because it contains more alloy elements, the price is higher, but it provides better corrosion resistance and is suitable for more demanding environments.
430 stainless steel: The price is relatively cheap, but the performance may be insufficient in certain specific environments.
In general, the choice of stainless steel foil depends on the use environment, performance requirements and budget. For applications that require strong corrosion resistance and high temperature performance, 316 stainless steel foil is a better choice, while 304 stainless steel is suitable for most ordinary environments, and 430 stainless steel is suitable for ordinary environments with higher cost requirements.
