Is High Quality Stainless Steel Magnetic?

How about if you ask someone, “Is Stainless Steel magnetic?” You will probably get a lot of answers in response. Some people think that stainless steel is not magnetic at all. While others think that stainless steel is magnetic because of its properties (as it contains Iron). 

Well, the answer to the question lies in between. It is definitely not that high quality stainless steel is magnetic. But the fact is, there are different types of stainless steel and because of their distinctive properties, they become magnetic. Hence, some are magnetic while others are not! 

Let’s check out the reasons behind magnetic stainless steel. 

What makes Stainless Steel Magnetic? 

There are a few requirements that need to be met for stainless steel to be magnetic. Here it is:

Firstly, stainless steel should include Iron in its chemical properties. 

Secondly, stainless steel should be organized in a ferritic or martensitic structure because it must include its vital crystal structure. 

Hence, it sums up pretty well that there are different types of stainless steel available, and it must include Iron in its chemical properties and crystal structure to be magnetic. In case the stainless steel comprises of austenite structure, then it won’t be magnetic. Therefore, the magnetic properties of stainless steel must include all of the requirements. 

Which Stainless Steel is Magnetic? 

Non-magnetic and magnetic stainless steel can only be identified based on their type of stainless steel. Below mentioned is the list of different types of magnetic stainless steel:

1. Ferritic Stainless Steels, grades include 409, 430 and 439 

2. Martensitic Stainless Steel, grades include 410, 420, 440 

3. Duplex Stainless Steel, grade include 2205 

Ferritic Stainless Steels

Do you know Ferritic stainless steels are highly magnetic? Do you know why? Well, because ferritic stainless steel has a large quantity of ferrite in chemical composition. Basically, ferrite is a compound of iron and different components. The mix of a ferritic gem structure with iron makes ferritic stainless steels magnetic. Of course, some ferritic stainless steels have a weaker magnetic pull because it has carbon in its properties. 

Martensitic Stainless Steels

There are numerous martensitic stainless steels & they are magnetic. What makes martensitic stainless steel magnetic is its unique crystal structure, which is usually ferromagnetic if Iron is present in the composition. Since stainless steel in itself is a type of steel that includes an abundant amount of Iron in its chemical compound, it definitely makes all those numerous martensitic stainless steels magnetic. 

Duplex Stainless steels

Duplex stainless steels are ordinarily magnetic as they contain a combination of austenite and ferrite. The significant amount of ferrite, which is already magnetic adds to Duplex stainless steel and makes it magnetic in its structure. Notwithstanding, since duplex stainless steels have more austenite than ferritic steel, they might be marginally less magnetic in that case. 

Austenitic Stainless Steel

Austenitic stainless steels have a high amount of austenite, which normally makes them less magnetic in structure. Despite the fact that the stainless steel grades like 304 and 316 have high amounts of iron in their substance synthesis, austenite implies they are non-ferromagnetic in nature. However, if the crystal structure of the austenitic stainless steel is transformed through work-hardening or some different thermal treatment to it, then ferrite can be formed in certain areas making the steel somewhat magnetic. 

What difference Does Magnetic Stainless Steel Make? 

Just like the premium quality stainless steel matters in different industries, magnetic stainless steels have their own advantages and intend to perform. The magnetic properties of stainless steel have a huge impact on its performance. 

In case, you want to sort the magnetic material from the others, it can quickly be sorted out because of its chemical properties. And, makes the entire process of sorting easy and quick, especially for stainless steel manufacturers. 

Most importantly, when welding or performing other metal fabrication, the magnetic material can lead to some issues. Even the electrical currents in magnetic stainless steel act differently. Hence, it is crucial to be aware of the magnetic stainless steel, its crystal structure, advantages, disadvantages well in advance before you choose it for the fabrication or any other processes. 

Conclusion

To sum it all, there are different types of stainless steel and their grades. Some are magnetic while some are not depending upon their crystal structure. If you are looking for magnetic stainless steel, you must be aware of the different stainless steel quality and grades available in the market and how they can benefit in terms of performance. At Maven Stainless Steel, you can explore the wide range of stainless steel available along with different shapes and sizes. You can get in touch with their expert team for further enquiry, and they will surely get back to you soon along with the best solution depending upon your requirement.