What is the difference between 304 and 316 stainless steel?

304 and 316 stainless steels are austenitic stainless steels, which have excellent corrosion resistance, heat resistance and good processing properties. Despite their differences in chemical composition and properties, they are essentially stainless steel materials.

304 stainless steel has been widely used in industrial manufacturing, home decoration and food and medical industries because of its good processing properties, high toughness, high density and no bubbles after polishing. Most of the kitchen utensils used in our daily life, such as POTS and pans and cups, are made of 304 stainless steel. This material is resistant to acid and alkali corrosion, making it ideal for these applications.

In contrast, 316 stainless steel performs better in terms of corrosion resistance, atmospheric corrosion resistance and high temperature strength. It especially adds molybdenum (Mo) element, which significantly improves the corrosion resistance and wear resistance of the material. Therefore, 316 stainless steel is often used in seawater equipment, chemicals, dyes, paper, oxalic acid, fertilizer production and other demanding environments, as well as coastal facilities and some special applications, such as ropes, CD rods, bolts and nuts. In the food industry, the use of 316 stainless steel is more luxurious because it provides additional corrosion resistance.

From the density point of view, the density of 304 stainless steel is about 7.93g/cm³, while the density of 316 stainless steel is slightly higher, about 8.03g/cm³.

For consumers, when buying stainless steel products in the market, they really need to pay attention to whether they are worth the money. One method is to distinguish the material by identifying the brand of the product, the element formula of 304 stainless steel is 06Cr19Ni10, and the element formula of 316 stainless steel is 0Cr17Ni12Mo2. Another method is to use stainless steel potion to test, but this method is not practical, because consumers can not carry the potion, and the potion also has a certain corrosive tableware. Sometimes people will try to tell with magnets, because 304 stainless steel is usually not attracted by magnets, but this method has limited accuracy and credibility.

In fact, as a consumer in the purchase of tableware, do not have to worry too much about whether it is 304 or 316 material, because the performance of 304 stainless steel is enough to meet the needs of daily tableware use. If you can get the required tableware at the price of purchasing 304 stainless steel, it is cost-effective. But if the manufacturer's price is too high, consumers should carefully consider whether it is worth buying