How can you tell the difference between stainless steel and hastelloy?
If you've ever worked with wire mesh, you know how versatile it can be. Whether you're using woven wire mesh for plastic extrusion or using wire mesh to carry electrical current in a piezoceramic stack in an automobile, the uses for woven wire mesh are nearly limitless.
That said, to build the perfect woven wire mesh assembly, you must use the best alloys for the woven wire mesh. Doing so required a team of engineers to conduct research and experimentation with the various alloys that could be used, such as stainless steel and Hastelloy c22.
Therefore, this article aims to compare and contrast Hastelloy C22 and stainless steel when used in woven mesh and will cover:
What is Hastelloy C22?
What is stainless steel
How do the properties of the two materials differ?
What alloys should you consider
Stainless steel is a woven wire mesh alloy classified according to its carbon and chromium content. It has high corrosion resistance and considerable ability to withstand extreme temperatures.
Today, stainless steel comes in several different variations, again based on the amount of carbon and chromium in the alloy. In fact, there are nine main classifications used for separating stainless steel: 304, 309, 310, 316, 317, 318, 321, 330, 347.
That said, when working with woven wire mesh, you'll typically come across 304 or 316 stainless steel.
How does Hastelloy c22 compare to stainless steel?
When comparing hatelloy c22 to stainless steel, the most significant difference is how the two materials react at high temperatures.
Hastelloy c22 has relatively high oxidation resistance at higher temperatures. This is a noteworthy property, as stainless steel is susceptible to high-temperature oxidation, which can cause surface discoloration.
For this reason, the corrosion resistance of Hastelloy c22 is slightly enhanced over stainless steel. This is especially true when fighting pitting and other similar forms of corrosion.
Now, for this reason, engineers should note that Hastelloy c22 is more expensive than stainless steel.
Which alloy should I use?
When designing the perfect mesh, the alloy you should use depends on the application you plan to use it for. As mentioned above, Hastelloy c22 generally costs more than stainless steel.
Therefore, Hastelloy c22 is typically reserved for applications that subject the mesh to harsh conditions, such as extreme heat or unique corrosive conditions.
Fortunately, two stainless steel variations for woven mesh can accommodate applications that are not considered harsh conditions.
That said, if the mesh will be affected by potentially corrosive materials, or you need a mesh with greater stability and durability, 316 stainless steel is a better stainless steel choice. However, if you have a simple operation, use non-corrosive materials, and are simply looking for the precision that woven wire mesh provides, 304 stainless steel is a more practical solution.
