What is the difference between 304 and 304L stainless steel pipe?

Different chemical composition

304L stainless steel pipe: chromium (Cr) content is the same about 18% - 20%, nickel (Ni) content of about 8% - 10.5%, but the carbon (C) content is lower, not more than 0.03%. The lower carbon content is an important feature of 304L stainless steel pipe.

304 stainless steel pipe: its chemical composition is mainly chromium (Cr) content of about 18% - 20%, nickel (Ni) content of about 8% - 10.5%, also contains a small amount of carbon (C), manganese (Mn), silicon (Si), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S) and other elements. Among them, the carbon content is higher, generally below 0.08%.

Different performance

Corrosion resistance: 304L stainless steel pipe is more resistant to intergranular corrosion than 304 stainless steel pipe because of lower carbon content;

Mechanical properties: 304 stainless steel pipe has relatively high strength and can withstand higher pressure because of slightly higher carbon content. The 304L stainless steel pipe has better toughness and is less prone to brittle fracture due to its low carbon content;

Welding performance: 304L stainless steel pipe because of its low carbon content, in the welding process, the possibility of intergranular carbide precipitation is smaller. So the welding performance is better.

Different application areas

304L stainless steel pipe: commonly used in chemical, pharmaceutical, food processing and other industries that require high corrosion resistance, especially in piping systems involving welding, can effectively prevent intergranular corrosion, to ensure the long-term stable operation of equipment.

304 stainless steel pipe: widely used in the field of architectural decoration, such as handrails, railings, etc.; in general mechanical structure parts are also more common, as long as the corrosion resistance requirements are not extremely high can be used.

Cost difference

Raw material costs: 304L stainless steel pipe is a low carbon stainless steel, the production of its raw materials is more difficult, so the cost is higher than 304 stainless steel pipe;

Production and processing costs: Because the carbon content and hardness of 304L stainless steel are relatively low, in the process of processing and molding, it may require finer operation and control to ensure the dimensional accuracy and surface quality of the product. For example, in the pipe welding, stretching, bending, and other processing, you need to adjust the processing parameters and use more advanced processing equipment, which will also increase the cost of production and processing.