Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weightThermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
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Sources3 documents: Cleveland-Cliffs, Steel Construction Institute
Stainless Steel 17-4PH
Cleveland-Cliffs 17-4 PH, Condition H 900, sheet/strip, transverse (Product Data Bulletin, May 2021)
Stainless Steel 304
Type 304, annealed flat-rolled (Cleveland-Cliffs 304/304L Product Data Bulletin, May 2021); Poisson's ratio from the Nickel Institute/SCI structural stainless design manual
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17-4 PH Stainless Steel Product Data Bulletin (2021)Cleveland-CliffsStainless Steel 17-4PH · Yield strength: typical, transverse, sheet/stripStainless Steel 17-4PH · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, transverse, sheet/stripStainless Steel 17-4PH · Elongation at break: typical, transverse, in 2 in. (50.8 mm)Stainless Steel 17-4PH · Young's modulus (stiffness): H 900Stainless Steel 17-4PH · Density: H 900Stainless Steel 17-4PH · Poisson's ratio: H 900 (column)Stainless Steel 17-4PH · Thermal conductivity: at 149 °C (300 °F), H 900Stainless Steel 17-4PH · Thermal expansion: mean, 21–93 °C (70–200 °F), H 900Stainless Steel 17-4PH · Specific heat: mean, 0–100 °C, H 900Stainless Steel 17-4PH · Max service temperature: strength-retention limit (not oxidation)
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304/304L Stainless Steel Product Data Bulletin (2021)Cleveland-CliffsStainless Steel 304 · Yield strength: typical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C)Stainless Steel 304 · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C)Stainless Steel 304 · Elongation at break: typical, annealed, in 2 in. (50.8 mm)Stainless Steel 304 · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical, in tensionStainless Steel 304 · Density: typicalStainless Steel 304 · Thermal conductivity: at 100 °CStainless Steel 304 · Thermal expansion: mean, 0–100 °CStainless Steel 304 · Specific heat: mean, 0–100 °CStainless Steel 304 · Melting point: melting rangeStainless Steel 304 · Max service temperature: continuous, oxidation (scaling) limit in air
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Design Manual for Structural Stainless Steel, 4th Edition (P413)Steel Construction Institutearchived copyStainless Steel 304 · Poisson's ratio: design value (structural stainless steels)
Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions
Mechanical
Is Stainless Steel 17-4PH stronger than Stainless Steel 304?
Stainless Steel 17-4PH is stronger: its yield strength is 1,275 MPa against 241 MPa for Stainless Steel 304 (5.29x).
Which is lighter, Stainless Steel 17-4PH or Stainless Steel 304?
Stainless Steel 17-4PH is lighter: 7,800 kg/m³ against 8,030 kg/m³ for Stainless Steel 304.
Which is stiffer, Stainless Steel 17-4PH or Stainless Steel 304?
Stainless Steel 17-4PH is stiffer: Young's modulus 197 GPa against 193 GPa for Stainless Steel 304, so the same part in Stainless Steel 17-4PH deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Stainless Steel 17-4PH or Stainless Steel 304?
For the same stiffness or strength: Stainless Steel 17-4PH is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
Part that must be
Stainless Steel 17-4PH
Stainless Steel 304
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
lighter
5% heavier
Stiff beam (bending)
lighter
4% heavier
Stiff panel or plate
lighter
4% heavier
Strong rod or tie
lighter
5.45x heavier
Strong beam
lighter
3.13x heavier
Strong panel or plate
lighter
2.37x heavier
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Which is more ductile, Stainless Steel 17-4PH or Stainless Steel 304?
Stainless Steel 304 stretches further before it breaks: 55% elongation at break against 9% for Stainless Steel 17-4PH.
Thermal
Which handles higher temperatures, Stainless Steel 17-4PH or Stainless Steel 304?
Stainless Steel 304 does: 899 °C against 316 °C for Stainless Steel 17-4PH.
Which conducts heat better, Stainless Steel 17-4PH or Stainless Steel 304?
Stainless Steel 17-4PH conducts heat better: 17.9 W/m·K against 16.2 W/m·K for Stainless Steel 304.
Which expands less with temperature?
Stainless Steel 17-4PH expands less: 10.8 µm/m·K against 16.9 µm/m·K for Stainless Steel 304.