General Properties
Alloys 321 (S32100) and 347 (S34700) are stabilized stainless steels which offer as their main advantage an excellent resistance to intergranular corrosion following exposure to temperatures in the chromium carbide precipitation range from 800 to 1500°F (427 to 816°C). Alloy 321 is stabilized against chromium carbide formation by the addition of titanium. Alloy 347 is stabilized by the addition of columbium and tantalum.

While Alloys 321 and 347 continue to be employed for prolonged service in the 800 to 1500°F (427 to 816°C) temperature range, Alloy 304L has supplanted these stabilized grades for applications involving only welding or short time heating.

Alloys 321 and 347 stainless steels are also advantageous for high temperature service because of their good mechanical properties. Alloys 321 and 347 stainless steels offer higher creep and stress rupture properties than Alloy 304 and, particularly, Alloy 304L, which might also be considered for exposures where sensitization and intergranular corrosion are concerns. This results in higher elevated temperature allowable stresses for these stabilized alloys for ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code applications. The 321 and 347 alloys have maximum use temperatures of 1500°F (816°C) for code applications like Alloy 304, whereas Alloy 304L is limited to 800°F (426°C).

High carbon versions of both alloys are available. These grades have UNS designations S32109 and S34709.

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Chemical Composition
Represented by ASTM A240 and ASME SA-240 specifications.

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Resistance to Corrosion
General Corrosion
Alloys 321 and 347 offer similar resistance to general, overall corrosion as the unstabilized chromium nickel Alloy 304. Heating for long periods of time in the chromium carbide precipitation range may affect the general resistance of Alloys 321 and 347 in severe corrosive media.

In most environments, both alloys will show similar corrosion resistance; however, Alloy 321 in the annealed condition is somewhat less resistant to general corrosion in strongly oxidizing environments than annealed Alloy 347. For this reason, Alloy 347 is preferable for aqueous and other low temperature environments. Exposure in the 800°F to 1500°F (427°C to 816°C) temperature range lowers the overall corrosion resistance of Alloy 321 to a much greater extent than Alloy 347. Alloy 347 is used primarily in high temperature applications where high resistance to sensitization is essential, thereby preventing intergranular corrosion at lower temperatures.

Intergranular Corrosion
Alloys 321 and 347 have been developed for applications where the unstabilized chromium-nickel steels, such as Alloy 304, would be susceptible to intergranular corrosion.

When the unstabilized chromium-nickel steels are held in or slowly cooled through the range of 800°F to 1500°F (427°C to 816°C), chromium carbide is precipitated at the grain boundaries. In the presence of certain strongly corrosive media, these grain boundaries are preferentially attacked, a general weakening of the metal results, and a complete disintegration may occur.

Organic media or weakly corrosive aqueous agents, milk or other dairy products, or atmospheric conditions rarely produce intergranular corrosion even when large amounts of precipitated carbides are present. When thin gauge material is welded, the time in the temperature range of 800°F to 1500°F (427°C to 816°C) is so short that with most corroding media, the unstabilized types are generally satisfactory. The extent to which carbide precipitation may be harmful depends upon the length of time the alloy was exposed to 800°F to 1500°F (427°C to 816°C) and upon the corrosive environment. Even the longer heating times involved in welding heavy gauges are not harmful to the unstabilized "L" grade alloys where the carbon content is kept to low amounts of 0.03% or less.

The high resistance of the stabilized Alloy 321 and Alloy 347 stainless steels to sensitization and intergranular corrosion is illustrated by data for the 321 alloy in the copper-copper sulfate –16% Sulfuric Acid Test (ASTM A262, Practice E) below. Mill annealed samples were given a sensitizing heat treatment consisting of soaking at 1050°F (566°C) for 48 hours prior to the test.

*Annealed 1100°F, 240 hours

The absence of intergranular attack (IGA) in the Alloy 347 specimens shows that they did not sensitize during this thermal exposure. The low corrosion rate exhibited by the Alloy 321 specimens shows that even though it suffered some IGA, it was more resistant than Alloy 304L under these conditions. All of these alloys are far superior to regular Alloy 304 stainless steel under the conditions of this test.

In general, Alloys 321 and 347 are used for heavy welded equipment which cannot be annealed and for equipment which is operated between 800°F to 1500°F (427°C to 816°C) or slowly cooled through this range. Experience gained in a wide range of service conditions has provided sufficient data to generally predict the possibility of intergranular attack in most applications.

Please also review our comments under the Heat Treatment section.

Stress Corrosion Cracking
The Alloys 321 and 347 austenitic stainless steels are susceptible to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in halides similar to Alloy 304 stainless steel. This results because of their similarity in nickel content. Conditions which cause SCC are: (1) presence of halide ion (generally chloride), (2) residual tensile stresses, and (3) environmental temperatures in excess of about 120°F (49°C). Stresses may result from cold deformation during forming operations or from thermal cycles encountered during welding operations. Stress levels may be reduced by annealing or stress-relieving heat treatments following cold deformation. The stabilized Alloys 321 and 347 are good choices for service in the stress relieved condition in environments which might otherwise cause intergranular corrosion for unstabilized alloys.

The Alloys 321 and 347 are particularly useful under conditions which cause polythionic acid stress corrosion of non-stabilized austenitic stainless steels, such as Alloy 304. Exposure of non-stabilized austenitic stainless steel to temperatures in the sensitizing range will cause the precipitation of chromium carbides at grain boundaries. On cooling to room temperature in a sulfide-containing environment, the sulfide (often hydrogen sulfide) reacts with moisture and oxygen to form polythionic acids which attack the sensitized grain boundaries. Under conditions of stress, intergranular cracks form. Polythionic acid SCC has occurred in oil refinery environments where sulfides are common. The stabilized Alloys 321 and 347 offer a solution to polythionic acid SCC by resisting sensitization during elevated temperature service. For optimum resistance, these alloys should be used in the thermally stabilized condition if service-related conditions may result in sensitization.

Pitting/Crevice Corrosion
The resistance of the stabilized Alloys 321 and 347 to pitting and crevice corrosion in the presence of chloride ion is similar to that of Alloy 304 or 304L stainless steels because of similar chromium content. Generally, 100 ppm chloride in aqueous environments is considered to be the limit for both the unstabilized and the stabilized alloys, particularly if crevices are present. Higher levels of chloride ion might cause crevice corrosion and pitting. For more severe conditions of higher chloride level, lower pH and/or higher temperatures, alloys with molybdenum, such as Alloy 316, should be considered. The stabilized Alloys 321 and 347 pass the 100 hour, 5 percent neutral salt spray test (ASTM B117) with no rusting or staining of samples. However, exposure of these alloys to salt mists from the ocean would be expected to cause pitting and crevice corrosion accompanied by severe discoloration. The Alloys 321 and 347 are not recommended for exposure to marine environments.

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Elevated Temperature Oxidation Resistance
Alloys 321 and 347 exhibit oxidation resistance comparable to the other 18-8 austenitic stainless steels. Specimens prepared from standard mill-finish production material were exposed in ambient laboratory air at elevated temperatures. Periodically, specimens were removed from the high temperature environment and weighed to determine the extent of scale formation. Test results are reported as a weight change in units of milligrams per square centimeter and reflect the average from a minimum of two different test specimens.

Alloys 321 and 347 differ primarily by small alloying additions unrelated to factors affecting the oxidation resistance. Therefore, these results should be representative of both grades. However, since the rate of oxidation can be influenced by the exposure environment and factors intrinsic to specific product forms, these results should be interpreted only as a general indication of the oxidation resistance of these grades.

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Physical Properties
The physical properties of Types 321 and 347 are quite similar and, for all practical purposes, may be considered to be the same. The values given in the table may be used to apply to both steels.

When properly annealed, the Alloys 321 and 347 stainless steels consist principally of austenite and carbides of titanium or columbium. Small amounts of ferrite may or may not be present in the microstructure. Small amounts of sigma phase may form during long time exposure in the 1000°F to 1500°F (593°C to 816°C) temperature range.

The stabilized Alloys 321 and 347 stainless steels are not hardenable by heat treatment.

The overall heat transfer coefficient of metals is determined by factors in addition to thermal conductivity of the metal. In most cases, film coefficients, scaling, and surface conditions are such that not more than 10 to 15% more surface area is required for stainless steels than for other metals having higher thermal conductivity. The ability of stainless steels to maintain clean surfaces often allows better heat transfer than other metals having higher thermal conductivity.

Magnetic Permeability
The stabilized Alloys 321 and 347 are generally non-magnetic in the annealed condition with magnetic permeability values typically less than 1.02 at 200H. Permeability values may vary with composition and will increase with cold work. Permeability of welds containing ferrite will be higher.

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Mechanical Properties
Room Temperature Tensile Properties
Minimum mechanical properties of the stabilized Alloys 321 and 347 chromium-nickel grades in the annealed condition (2000°F [1093°C], air cooled) are shown in the table.

Elevated Temperature Tensile Properties
Typical elevated temperature mechanical properties for Alloys 321 and 347 sheet/strip are shown below. Strength of these stabilized alloys is distinctly higher than that of non-stabilized 304 alloys at temperatures of 1000°F (538°C) and above.

High carbon Alloys 321H and 347H (UNS32109 and S34700, respectively) have higher strength at temperatures above 1000°F (537°C). ASME maximum allowable design stress data for Alloy 347H reflects the higher strength of this grade in comparison to the lower carbon Alloy 347 grade. The Alloy 321H is not permitted for Section VIII applications and is limited to 800°F (427°C) use temperatures for Section III code applications.

Creep and Stress Rupture Properties
Typical creep and stress rupture data for Alloys 321 and 347 stainless steels are shown in the figures below. The elevated temperature creep and stress rupture strengths of the stabilized steels are higher than those of unstabilized Alloys 304 and 304L. These superior properties for the 321 and 347 alloys permit design of pressure-containing components for elevated temperature service to higher stress levels as recognized in the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code.

Impact Strength
Alloys 321 and 347 have excellent toughness at room and sub-zero temperatures. In the following table are Charpy V-notch impact values for annealed Alloy 347 after holding the samples for one hour at the indicated testing temperatures. Data for Alloy 321 would be expected to be similar.

Fatigue Strength
The fatigue strength of practically every metal is affected by corrosive conditions, surface finish, form, and mean stress. For this reason, no definite values can be shown which would be representative of the fatigue strength under all operating conditions. The fatigue endurance limits of Alloys 321 and 347 are approximately 35% of their tensile strengths.

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Fabrication
Welding
Austenitic stainless steels are considered to be the most weldable of the high-alloy steels and can be welded by all fusion and resistance welding processes.

Two important considerations in producing weld joints in the austenitic stainless steels are (1) preservation of corrosion resistance and (2) avoidance of cracking.

It is important to maintain the level of stabilizing element present in Alloys 321 and 347 during welding. Alloy 321 is more prone to loss of titanium. Alloy 347 is more resistant to loss of columbium. Care needs to be exercised to avoid pickup of carbon from oils and other sources and nitrogen from air. Weld practices which include attention to cleanliness and good inert gas shielding are recommended for these stabilized grades as well as other non-stabilized austenitic alloys.

Weld metal with a fully austenitic structure is more susceptible to cracking during the welding operation. For this reason, Alloys 321 and 347 are designed to resolidify with a small amount of ferrite to minimize cracking susceptibility. Columbium stabilized stainless steels are more prone to hot cracking than titanium stabilized stainless steels.

Matching filler metals are available for welding Alloys 321 and 347 stabilized stainless steels. The Alloy 347 filler metal is sometimes used to weld the 321 alloy.

These stabilized alloys may be joined to other stainless steels or carbon steel. Alloy 309 (23% Cr-13.5% Ni) or nickel-base filler metals have been used for this purpose.

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Heat Treatment
The annealing temperature range for Alloys 321 and 347 is 1800 to 2000°F (928 to 1093°C). While the primary purpose of annealing is to obtain softness and high ductility, these steels may also be stress relief annealed within the carbide precipitation range 800 to 1500°F (427 to 816°C), without any danger of subsequent intergranular corrosion. Relieving strains by annealing for only a few hours in the 800 to 1500°F (427 to 816°C) range will not cause any noticeable lowering in the general corrosion resistance, although prolonged heating within this range does tend to lower the general corrosion resistance to some extent. As emphasized, however, annealing in the 800 to 1500°F (427 to 816°C) temperature range does not result in a susceptibility to intergranular attack.

For maximum ductility, the higher annealing range of 1800 to 2000°F (928 to 1093°C) is recommended.

When fabricating chromium-nickel stainless steel into equipment requiring the maximum protection against carbide precipitation obtainable through use of a stabilized grade, it is essential to recognize that there is a difference between the stabilizing ability of columbium and titanium. For these reasons, the degree of stabilization and of resulting protection may be less pronounced when Alloy 321 is employed.

When maximum corrosion resistance is called for, it may be necessary with Alloy 321 to employ a corrective remedy which is known as a stabilizing anneal. It consists of heating to 1550 to 1650°F (843 to 899°C) for up to five hours depending on thickness. This range is above that within which chromium carbides are formed and is sufficiently high to cause dissociation and solution of any that may have been previously developed. Furthermore, it is the temperature at which titanium combines with carbon to form harmless titanium carbides. The result is that chromium is restored to solid solution and carbon is forced into combination with titanium as harmless carbides.

This additional treatment is required less often for the columbium-stabilized Alloy 347.

When heat treatments are done in an oxidizing atmosphere, the oxide should be removed after annealing in a descaling solution such as a mixture of nitric and hydrofluoric acids. These acids should be thoroughly rinsed off the surface after cleaning.

These alloys cannot be hardened by heat treatment.

Cleaning
Despite their corrosion resistance, stainless steels need care in fabrication and during use to maintain their surface appearance even under normal conditions of service.

In welding, inert gas processes are used. Scale or slag that forms from welding processes is removed with a stainless steel wire brush. Carbon steel wire brushes will leave carbon steel particles in the surface which will eventually produce surface rusting. For more severe applications, welded areas should be treated with a descaling solution such as a mixture of nitric and hydrofluoric acids to remove the heat tint, and these acids should be subsequently washed off.

For material exposed to inland, light industrial, or milder service, minimum maintenance is required. Only sheltered areas need occasional washing with a stream of pressurized water. In heavy industrial areas, frequent washing is advisable to remove dirt deposits which might eventually cause corrosion and impair the surface appearance of the stainless steel.

Design can aid cleanability. Equipment with rounded corners, fillets, and absence of crevices facilitates cleaning as do smooth ground welds and polished surfaces.

Referenced data are typical and should not be construed as maximum or minimum values for specification or for final design. Data on any particular piece of material may vary from those shown herein.

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