What makes austenitic stainless steel non magnetic

In an austenitic stainless steel, the atoms are arranged in what is known as a face-centered cubic fcc lattice. This sort of atomic arrangement is most likely to show up when the allow contains carbon, nitrogen, manganese or nickel.

Ferritic stainless steels, by contrast, are arranged in what is known as a body-centered bcc lattice. Atoms are arranged at each of the eight corners of the cube. Another single atom is located in the center of the cube. Silicon, chromium and molybdenum make a bcc crystal structure most likely. What is interesting is that, when this steel is mechanically deformed through activities like bending or extruding, it will become partially magnetic.

All stainless steel metals are a type of steel. That means their chemical composition contains iron. In most cases, stainless steel varieties with iron in their composition are magnetic. Whether a type of stainless steel is magnetic or not, it can be grouped depending on the type of stainless steel. Some of the typical magnetic stainless steels include:. This type of stainless steel is magnetic primarily because it contains large quantities of ferrite in its chemical composition, which is a compound of iron and other elements.

In an austenitic structure, the microstructure appears to be more random at the atomic layer, meaning that the electrons are unable to align their rotation in a consistent direction. Therefore, they appear as non-magnetic or non-ferromagnetic. We can offer air, sea and road freight shipping options, with choice of packaging, to deliver to customers globally.

Let us manage your total material requirements with call-off and consignment arrangements. Please use the enquiry form below or the details to the right and one of our company representatives will contact you as soon as possible. It is an austenite steel and is only slightly responsive to magnetic fields. The fact that it is also negligibly responsive to magnetic fields means that it can be used in applications where a non-magnetic metal is required. It also contains a number of other elements in varying concentrations.

As both and stainless steels are austenitic, when they cool, the iron remains in the form of austenite gamma iron , a phase of iron which is nonmagnetic. The different phases of solid iron correspond to different crystal structures.

In other alloys of steel, this high-temperature phase of iron transforms to a magnetic phase when the metal cools.