Duplex stainless steel, sometimes called S31803 or S32205 stainless steel, is an alloy which consists of both austenitic and ferritic stainless steels. The combination of these two stainless steel types creates an alloy with terrific versatility.
Not only are duplex stainless steels strong, but lightweight and affordable as well. Though they’re not perfect, they do very arguably offer the most bang for their buck.
So what are the exact benefits of duplex stainless steel? Let’s discuss.
Resistant to Corrosion
One of the primary benefits of duplex stainless steel is that it will not easily give in to corrosion. When compared to austenitic steel, its corrosion resistance is noticeably better. This makes it terrific for under the sea use, and other uses which include corrosive substances.
What duplex stainless steel is especially resistant to is corrosion due to chloride. It can handle regular temperatures of up to 150 degrees celsius without experiencing any stress corrosion cracking.
In essence, if you’re looking for a corrosion-resistant stainless steel, you’ll find it in duplex stainless steel.
Reasonably Priced
Not only does duplex stainless steel offer terrific corrosion resistance, it offers terrific corrosion resistance at a reasonable price. When compared to super austenitic stainless steels, duplex stainless steels are a great deal more affordable.
The reason that duplex stainless steel is cheaper than super austenitic steel is that it’s made with lower amounts of nickel and molybdenum. These substances are two of the more expensive substances when it comes to stainless steel production.
Strong
While it’s not quite as moldable as austenitic stainless steel, duplex stainless steel is about as tough as stainless steels come. However, despite the fact that it’s so strong, it’s still fairly flexible. This makes it fairly easy to shape compared to other types of stainless steel at its strength level.
Even when duplex is spread thin, it still possesses fairly good strength. This is because, despite the fact that it’s made partially of ferritic steel, it still contains quite a bit of nickel. The nickel gives it the strength and toughness needed to thrive through many uses.
Lightweight
Because duplex stainless steel is so strong, it can typically do more with less. That is to say, a thin piece of duplex stainless steel is capable of doing the same thing that a thick piece of austenitic stainless steel is doing.
So, in essence, duplex stainless steel is incredibly lightweight compared to other types of stainless steel. This not only allows it to be used for a number of purposes, it also makes it very efficient to ship.
Reap the Benefits of Duplex Stainless Steel
Are you looking to reap the benefits of duplex stainless steel? If so, we here at Great Plains Stainless are the people to see.
We supply duplex stainless steel items of all types, from bars, to welded fittings, to pipes, and more. With offices in New Zealand, Chile, China, and the United States, we are prepared to ship our products all over the world.
Contact us today to discuss your needs!