SAE 304 stainless steel is the most common stainless steel. It is an alloy of iron, carbon, chromium and nickel. It is an austenitic stainless steel, and is therefore not magnetic. It is less electrically and thermally conductive than carbon steel. It has a higher corrosion resistance than regular steel and is widely used because of the ease in which it is formed into various shapes.[1]
The composition was developed by W. H. Hatfield at Firth Brown in 1924 and was marketed under the trade name "Staybrite 18/8".[2]
It is specified by SAE International as part of its SAE steel grades. It is also known as:[3]
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