Austenitic steel and austenitic stainless steel are important types of steel that have been continuously researched and developed in recent decades. Austenitic stainless steel accounts for approximately 70% of the total production and consumption of stainless steel, and it also has the most grades. Austenitic stainless steel is an excellent material with good corrosion resistance and excellent biocompatibility, thus finding wide application in chemical, marine engineering, food, biomedical, petrochemical, and other industries. However, its use is limited due to its relatively low hardness (HV200~HV250) and poor wear resistance. Adcock was the first scholar to study the effect of adding nitrogen to steel. In 1926, the shortage of nickel due to war spurred research into using nitrogen to replace some nickel to stabilize austenite. The development of high technology urgently requires corresponding high-performance materials. Adding nitrogen to austenitic steel can stabilize the austenitic structure, increase strength, and improve corrosion resistance, especially resistance to localized corrosion, such as intergranular corrosion, pitting corrosion, and crevice corrosion. Therefore, research on austenitic steel and austenitic stainless steel has received widespread attention and yielded some results.
254SMO is a metallic material, an alloy composed of 254 stainless steel, ferromolybdenum, and chromium, among other elements. It is commonly used to manufacture high-temperature corrosion-resistant composite metal materials. Compared to other stainless steel products on the market, 254SMO has higher strength and a longer service life.
254SMO metallic materials have wide applications in energy, petroleum and chemical, shipbuilding and marine, and environmental water treatment fields. Its advantages include: high thermal resistance and significant heat insulation effect; strong corrosion resistance, with corrosion resistance superior to 304 and 316L stainless steels; excellent rheological resistance, with compressive strength increased by more than 30% compared to 304 and 316L stainless steels; good surface treatment performance, meeting various user surface treatment requirements; and excellent comprehensive performance after heat treatment, with its tensile and compressive strength reaching optimal levels after special processing.
In summary, 254SMO stainless steel combines strength, high temperature resistance, and corrosion resistance, making it widely used in the manufacturing industry. It can replace traditional stainless steel products, improve factory production efficiency, extend service life, and better meet user needs.
254SMO has a very low carbon content, meaning the risk of carbide precipitation due to heating is minimal. Even after a one-hour sensitization treatment at 600-1000 degrees Celsius, this steel still passes the Strauss intergranular corrosion test (Strauss Test ASTM A262 Standard E). However, due to its high alloy content, mesophases may precipitate at grain boundaries within this temperature range. These precipitates do not pose a risk of intergranular corrosion when used in corrosive media. Therefore, welding is possible without intergranular corrosion; the compatible welding electrode is ENICRMO-3, and the compatible welding wire is ERNICRMO-3. However, in hot concentrated nitric acid, these precipitates may cause intergranular corrosion in the heat-affected zone.
In solutions containing chlorides, bromides, or iodide ions, 254SMO, a common type of stainless steel, will immediately suffer localized corrosion in the form of pitting, crevice corrosion, or stress corrosion cracking. However, in some cases, the presence of halides can accelerate uniform corrosion, especially in the presence of halides in non-oxidizing acids.
In pure sulfuric acid, 254SMO exhibits significantly greater corrosion resistance than 316L common stainless steel. However, at high concentrations, its corrosion resistance is slightly weaker compared to 904L (NO8904) type stainless steel. 254SMO shows the greatest corrosion resistance in sulfuric acid containing chloride ions. Due to the potential for both localized and uniform corrosion, 316L common stainless steel cannot be used in hydrochloric acid, but 254SMO can be used in diluted hydrochloric acid at normal temperatures. Pitting corrosion is not a concern in the area below the boundary line, but the presence of crevice corrosion must be avoided.
In fluorosilicic acid (H₂SiF₄) and hydrofluoric acid (HF), the corrosion resistance of ordinary stainless steel is very limited, while 254SMO can be used over a fairly wide range of concentrations and temperatures.
Under seawater, aerated, crevice-containing, and low-velocity erosion conditions, it exhibits good resistance to pitting corrosion (PREN≥43) and good resistance to stress corrosion, making it a substitute for Ni-based alloys and titanium alloys. Furthermore, it demonstrates superior high-temperature and corrosion resistance. Its high nitrogen content results in higher mechanical strength and wear resistance compared to other types of austenitic stainless steel. Its low nickel content contributes to its relatively high cost-effectiveness. In addition, 254SMO possesses high ductility and impact strength, as well as good weldability. In summary, 254SMO is a rare and cost-effective super stainless steel.
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Post time: Jan-16-2026