What Is the Difference Between T-304 and T-316 Stainless Steel Wire Mesh?

When purchasing stainless steel wire mesh, stainless steel wire mesh usually has two materials: T-304 and T-316, so what is the difference between these two materials of stainless steel wire mesh?

Today we will distinguish the two in detail from the perspectives of chemical composition, density, performance, and application fields. After reading it, I believe you will have a clear understanding of these two stainless steel wire meshes.

1.Chemical composition

T-304 stainless steel wire mesh and T-316 stainless steel wire mesh are both austenitic stainless steel materials. The difference in chemical composition between the two is: 316 stainless steel increases nickel (Ni) by reducing chromium (Cr) content, and increases 2%-3 % molybdenum (Mo), this structure greatly improves the corrosion resistance and wear resistance of stainless steel wire cloth, so the performance of 316 stainless steel wire mesh is better than that of 304 stainless steel wire mesh.

1. 304 stainless steel

C≤0.08, Si≤0.75, Mn≤2.0, P≤0.04, S≤0.03, Ni: 8.0~11.0, Cr: 18.0~20.0

2. 316 stainless steel

C≤0.08, Si≤0.75, Mn≤2.0, P≤0.04, S≤0.03, Ni: 10.0~14.0, Cr: 16.0~18.0, Mo: 2.0~3.0

2. Density

The density of 304 stainless steel is 7.93g/cm³, the density of 316 stainless steel is 7.98g/cm³, and the density of 316 stainless steel is higher than that of 304 stainless steel.

3. Performance

316 stainless steel wire mesh not only has better wear resistance and corrosion resistance than stainless steel wire mesh 304, but also has better heat resistance, because the carbide formed by molybdenum (Mo) element in 316 stainless steel wire mesh is extremely stable , can prevent the grain growth of austenite during heating, and reduce the overheating sensitivity of steel.

To sum up the performance characteristics of the two, 304 stainless steel wire mesh is acid-resistant, alkali-resistant, high-density, high-toughness, and good processing performance; 316 stainless steel wire mesh not only has the performance characteristics of 304 stainless steel wire mesh, but also is resistant to special medium corrosion, which can improve the performance of the stainless steel wire mesh. Corrosion resistance of chemical hydrochloric acid and marine, improve corrosion resistance to brine halogen solution.

In daily use, which stainless steel wire mesh should we choose? The cost of 304 stainless steel is lower than that of 316 stainless steel. When the requirements for corrosion resistance are not high, you can choose 304 stainless steel wire mesh with higher cost performance. When you have higher requirements for heat resistance and corrosion resistance, you can choose 316 stainless steel wire mesh.