Stainless Steel Physical Properties

Compared to carbon steel

1. Density

The density of carbon steel is slightly higher than that of ferritic and martensitic stainless steel, and slightly lower than that of austenitic stainless steel;

2. Resistivity

The resistivity increases in order of carbon steel, ferritic, martensitic and austenitic stainless steel;

3. The order of linear expansion coefficient is similar, austenitic stainless steel is the highest and carbon steel is the smallest;

4. Carbon steel, ferritic and martensitic stainless steels are magnetic, and austenitic stainless steels are non-magnetic, but their cold work hardening will generate magnetism when they form martensitic transformation. Heat treatment can be used to eliminate this martensite. tissue and restore its non-magnetic properties.

Compared with carbon steel, austenitic stainless steel has the following characteristics:

1) High resistivity, about 5 times that of carbon steel.
2) Large linear expansion coefficient, 40% larger than carbon steel, and with the increase of temperature, the value of linear expansion coefficient also increases accordingly.

3) Low thermal conductivity, about 1/3 of carbon steel.