Ferritic stainless steels are non hardenable and contain 16 to 30% chromium and 0.08 to 0.2 per cent carbon. Structure of these steel consists of ferrite phase which cannot be hardened by heat treatment. They have very low carbon and possess considerable ductility, ability to be worked hot or cold, excellent corrosion resistance and are relatively in expensive. They are always magnetic and retain their basic microstructure up to the melting point.

Applications

These are extensively used for kitchen equipment, diary machinery interior decorative work, automobile trimmings, chemical engineering industry, stainless steel sinks, food containers, refrigerator parts, beer barrels, automobile trimming etc. These are also used as high temperature furnace parts when chromium content is high.