Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-03-18 Origin: Site
Martensitic stainless steel and austenitic stainless steel are two common types of stainless steel. They differ significantly in chemical composition, microstructure, performance characteristics and application areas.
Chemical composition
| Martensitic stainless steel | Austenitic stainless steel | |
| Main Ingredients | Fe, Cr, C | Fe, Cr, Ni |
| Cr % | 11.5%-18% | 16%-26% |
| C % | 0.1%-1.2% | ≤0.08% |
| Ni % | / | 6%-22% |
| Other % | Mo, Mn | Mo, Ti, N |
2. Microstructure
6.
| Martensitic stainless steel | Austenitic stainless steel | |
| Crystal structure | BCT | FCC |
| Formation | Formation of martensitic structure by rapid cooling (quenching) | Stabilizing the austenite structure by adding elements such as nickel |
| Magnetic | Magnetic | Non-magnetic (may become weakly magnetic after cold working) |
3. Performance characteristics
| Martensitic stainless steel | Austenitic stainless steel | |
| Strength and hardness | High strength, high hardness | Lower strength and lower hardness |
| Toughness | Low toughness, easy to crack | High toughness and good ductility |
| Corrosion resistance | Moderate corrosion resistance | High corrosion resistance |
| Wear resistance | Good wear resistance | Average wear resistance |
| Heat treatability | Properties can be adjusted by quenching and tempering | Cannot be strengthened by heat treatment |
| Welding performance | Poor welding performance, prone to cracks | Good welding performance |
4.Typical grades
Martensitic stainless steel: 420J1, 420J2, 420U6, 1.4031, 1.4034, 1.4116, 440A, 440B
Austenitic stainless steel: 301, 304, 304L, 316, 316L, 321
5. Application Areas
Martensitic stainless steel: mainly used for knives, medical equipment, turbine blades, bearings and wear-resistant parts. It is widely used in industry and manufacturing due to its high hardness and good wear resistance.
Austenitic stainless steel: mainly used in food processing, chemical equipment, architectural decoration, medical equipment, aerospace and other fields, and is widely used due to its excellent corrosion resistance and good machinability.
6. Heat treatment and processing
| Martensitic stainless steel | Austenitic stainless steel | |
| Heat treatment | Properties can be adjusted by quenching and tempering | Cannot be strengthened by heat treatment |
| Cold processing | Poor cold forming performance and easy to crack | Good cold forming properties |
| Machining | Cutting is difficult and requires the use of carbide tools | Good cutting performance |
In short, martensitic stainless steel is suitable for scenarios with high strength, high hardness and high wear resistance requirements, while austenitic stainless steel is suitable for scenarios with high corrosion resistance and high toughness requirements.
