High Nitrogen, High Strength

Nickel-saving Austenitic Stainless Steel

1.4376(QN1803) with no less corrosion resistance as
compared with 304
1 Product Features

QN1803 is the world first austenitic stainless steel with nitrogen content higher than 2000 ppm

in the 18Cr-6Mn-3Ni-2Cu base alloy, which was recently developed by Tsingtuo Group and applied

in many areas in terms of strip, plate, wire rod, bar and seamless tube, etc. Such alloy also meets the

EN 10082-1.4376 specification. The only difference between QN1803 and 1.4376 is that high copper

content above 1.50% is added in QN1803 to give good cold formability and elongation.

(1) The pitting resistance equivalent number (PREN=Cr+3.3Mo+30N-Mn) of QN1803 is above

19.0 and has no less corrosion resistance as compared with 304 under solution annealed condition.

For the application areas where various cold forming such as bending, stamping and hardening state
may occur, the corrosion resistance of QN1803 is even better than that of 304.

(2) QN1803 has almost 1.3 times higher yield strength as compared with 304 while maintains

elongation no less than 45%.

(3) QN1803 has excellent deep drawing performance, less deformation induced martensite, and

much less risk of ageing cracking as compared with 304.

2 Chemical Composition

Table 1 1.4376(QN1803) and 304 Chemical composition comparison，wt%

Grade C Si Mn P S Cr Ni Mo Cu N

304 0.04 0.40 1.02 0.035 0.0021 18.11 8.02 0.02 0.1 0.045

QN1803 0.071 0.42 6.32 0.036 0.0008 18.14 3.03 0.11 1.62 0.240

1.4376 ≤0.10 ≤1.00 5.0~8.0 ≤0.045 ≤0.015 17.0~20.5 2.0~4.5 / / ≤0.30

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3 Corrosion resistance

3.1 Salt Spray Test

QN1803 304

Figure 1 Surface of QN1803 and 304 after salt spray corrosion

According to the national standard GB/T10125-2012 artificial atmosphere corrosion test of the
People's Republic of China, there is no rust in the neutral salt spray atmosphere (NSS) test for 1000
hours.

3.2 Pitting Resistance Equivalent and Pitting Corrosion Potential

Figure2 Two-dimensional scatter plot of PREN and pitting potential of different steel grades
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Test method: GB/T 17899-1999《Method of pitting potential measurement for Stainless steels》.
Considering the negative influence of the alloying element manganese on the pitting corrosion
performance, 1.4376(QN1803) has even a slightly higher pitting resistance equivalent number
(PREN) and pitting potential as compared with 304.

3.3 Pitting Corrosion Rate Comparison

Figure 3 Pitting corrosion rate of stainless steel in different states

Test method: GB/T 17897-2016 "Corrosion of metals and alloys - Test method for pitting corrosion
of stainless-steel ferric chloride" - Method B.
The pitting corrosion rate of 1.4376(QN1803) as NO.1 and 2B surfaces is close to that of 304, while
those under both cold rolling hardening and forming states are even significantly lower than that of
304.

3.4 Intergranular corrosion

Table 2 Intergranular corrosion test of 1.4376(QN1803) and 304

sampling Photograph after
Grade result
position bent

304 base metal No discernible cracks were observed

304 weld metal No discernible cracks were observed

1.4376(QN1803) base metal No discernible cracks were observed

1.4376(QN1803) weld metal No discernible cracks were observed

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Test method: GB/T 4334-2008 "Corrosion of metals and alloys - Test method for intergranular
corrosion of stainless steel" - Method E.

3.5 Sulfur Dioxide Condensation

According to the test method of GB/T 9789-2008, the sample was subjected to 6 cycles of corrosion

test (24 hours per cycle) under a sulfur dioxide atmosphere of 0.067% concentration, temperature (40

±3) °C and condensation conditions. According to the GB/T 6461-2002 method, both the

1.4376(QN1803) and 304 have a surface rating of levels 10.

Table 3 1.4376(QN1803) and 304 sulfur dioxide condensation

grade surface level

1.4376(QN1803) No surface rust levels 10

304 No surface rust levels 10

3.6 Comprehensive evaluation of corrosion performance under different

atmosphere

Figure 4 Average corrosion rate under different atmosphere

4 Mechanical properties (typical value) and the cold workability

4.1 Mechanical properties

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 Table 4 1.4376(QN1803)、304 and J4 mechanical properties

thickness Yield Tensile Elongation Hardness Grain

Grade 180°bend LDR
mm Rp0.2,MPa Rm,MPa A50% HV size

1.4376(QN1803) 0.95 415 745 50.5 215 Intact 2.05~2.15 8.5

304 0.95 285 665 56.2 168 Intact 2.10~2.20 8.5

J4 0.95 365 750 54.0 200 Intact 1.65~1.80 8.5

QN1803 has almost 1.3 times higher yield strength as compared with 304 while maintains elongation

no less than 45%.

4.2 Deep-drawing performance

Table 5 1.4376(QN1803), 304 and J4 deep-drawing forming performance

LDR
Grade After drawn for 0.5h After drawn for 24h
(0.95mm)
After being drawn for 0.5 h, the J4 The experiment was carried out for
1.4376(QN1803) 2.0
product was aging cracked. 24 hours at 0.1 °C hydrochloric acid
+ 6% ferric chloride solution at
304 2.0 35 °C. No cracking for QN1803,
while cracking for both 304 and J4.

1.4376(304D) 304 J4 1.4376(304D) 304 J4

J4 1.8

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4.3 Cold work hardening curve

Figure 5 Comparison of cold working hardening curves

QN1803 has similar cold workability.

4.4 Martensitic induced by cold working

Figure 6 Comparison of martensitic content induced by cold deformation of stainless steel

Under cold working deformation, the content of the martensite for 1.4376(QN1803) is close to that
for 316L, being much lower than that for 304.

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4.5 Cold working magnetic permeability

Figure 7 Trends of magnetic permeability of 304 and 1.4676 (QN1803) steels with cold rolling reduction
After a 50% cold rolling reduction, the magnetic permeability for QN1803 is 1.0313μr, being much
lower than 304.

5 Immersion test
Table 7 Heavy metal migration test for the 1.4376(QN1803) and 304 stainless steel
Test items Limit mg Detection
1.4376(QN1803) 304
migration kg limit RL

As 0.04 0.004 ND ND

Cd 0.02 0.002 ND ND

Pb 0.05 0.005 ND ND

Cr 2 0.2 ND ND

Ni 0.5 0.05 ND ND

Description: Data from Shanghai SGS pass pass

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 Table 8 Summary of stainless-steel food safety test results for the 1.4376(QN1803) and 304
Testing standards 1.4376(QN1803) 304
GB 4806.9-2016-sense (appearance: the surface should be clean,
the coating should not crack, peel off, the welded part should be pass pass
smooth, no pores, cracks, burrs)

GB 4806.9-2016- Senses (soaking solution: the soaking liquid

pass pass
obtained from the migration test should not have odor)

GB 4806.9-2016-Heavy metal migration pass pass

Description: The data comes from Shanghai SGS. Test standard: GB31604.49-2016 "Food
safety national standard food contact materials and products arsenic cadmium chromium lead
determination and determination of arsenic cadmium chromium nickel lead bismuth zinc migration"
the second part of the first method. Judging standard: GB 4806.9-2016 "National Food Safety
Standard Metal Materials and Products for Food Contact".

6 Areas of applications for the 1.4376(QN1803)

(1) Decorative panel and decorative welded pipe where no less corrosion resistance while higher
hardness for QN1803 as compared with 304.

Figure 8 Two-dimensional distribution map of PREN & hardness of different stainless-steel grades

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 Figure 9 the customer started to try the 1.4376(QN1803) steel
(2) Deep-drawing or forming products where no less corrosion resistance and similar LDR for
QN1803 as compared with 304.

Figure 10 Two-dimensional scatter plots of PREN and limit draw ratios of different steel grades

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(3) Structural load-bearing parts where no less corrosion resistance and higher yiled strength for
QN1803 as compared with 304.

Figure 11 Two-dimensional scatter plots of PREN and yield strength of different steel grades

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