304/304L Stainless Steel

 

Composition Table	Grade 304 SS Chemical Content by %	Grade 304L SS Chemical Content by %
Carbon	0.08 Max	0.03 Max
Chromium	18.00-20.00	18.00-20.00
Iron	Makes up the Balance	Makes up the Balance
Manganese	2.00 Max	2.00 Max
Nickel	8.00-12.00	8.00-12.00
Nitrogen	0.10 Max	0.10 Max
Phosphorus	0.045 Max	0.045 Max
Silicon	0.75 Max	0.75 Max
Sulfur	0.030 Max	0.030 Max

 

These two alloys are remarkably similar in their chemical composition-but there is one key difference. In grade 304 stainless steel, the maximum carbon content is set at 0.08%, whereas grade 304L stainless steel has a maximum carbon content of 0.03%. This is why the "L" in 304L can be interpreted as meaning extra-low carbon.

 

Though there are numerous grades and varieties of stainless steel out there on the market, they share similar properties of corrosion resistance and high strength. Each grade has varying degrees of these properties. When compared to standard steel, stainless steel material properties generally translate into higher corrosion resistance, higher ductility, higher tensile strength, and both higher cryogenic and heat toughness.