SAE 304 stainless steel

It is also known as:[3] 304 stainless steel has excellent resistance to a wide range of atmospheric environments and many corrosive media.

304 stainless steel is also very sensitive at room temperature to the thiosulfate anions released by the oxidation of pyrite (as encountered in acid mine drainage) and can undergo severe pitting corrosion problems when in close contact with pyrite- or sulfide-rich clay materials exposed to oxidation.

304 and 302 stainless steels are subject to chloride stress fracture failure when used in tropical salt water conditions such as oil or gas rigs.

[7] 304 stainless steel is used for a variety of household and industrial applications such as food handling and processing equipment, screws,[4] machinery parts, utensils, and exhaust manifolds.

Sensitization is the formation of chromium carbides along grain boundaries when stainless steel is exposed to temperatures in the approximate range of 480–820 °C (900–1,500 °F).

Its lack of a minimum carbon content is not ideal for high-temperature applications where optimal strength is required, thus, 304H is usually preferred.

Carbon content has a strong influence on room temperature strength and thus the specified minimum tensile properties of 304L are 34 MPa (5,000 psi) lower than for 304.