S31803 is the most widely used ferritic-austenitic (duplex) stainless steel, with a microstructure of roughly equal ferrite and austenite. This datasheet presents the material within the American standard system.
With about 22% chromium, 5.5% nickel, 3.2% molybdenum and a deliberate nitrogen addition (0.08-0.20%), S31803 offers roughly twice the yield strength of standard austenitic grades, together with excellent resistance to chloride pitting, crevice corrosion and chloride stress-corrosion cracking, to which austenitic grades are prone. Its PREN is typically 34-38. The S32205 composition is a refined (higher minimum Cr/Mo/N) range of the original S31803, giving more consistently guaranteed corrosion resistance.
Typical applications include oil-and-gas equipment and subsea pipelines, pressure vessels, chemical-process heat exchangers and reactors, marine and desalination equipment, and pulp-and-paper digesters and bleaching plant.
Values for the solution-annealed condition.
| Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Density | 7.8 | g/cm³ |
| Melting range | 1385-1445 | °C |
| Young's modulus (20 °C) | 200 | GPa |
| Thermal conductivity (20 °C) | 16 | W/m·K |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion (20-100 °C) | 13 | µm/m·°C |
| Specific heat (20 °C) | 450 | J/kg·K |
| Magnetic response | Ferromagnetic (duplex) | — |
Composition per ASTM A240.
| Element | Symbol | Min % | Max % | Role in Alloy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | Fe | Balance | — | Base element |
| Chromium | Cr | 21.0 | 23.0 | Ferrite former; corrosion resistance |
| Nickel | Ni | 4.5 | 6.5 | Austenite former; phase balance |
| Molybdenum | Mo | 2.5 | 3.5 | Pitting + crevice resistance |
| Nitrogen | N | 0.08 | 0.20 | Austenite former; strength; pitting |
| Manganese | Mn | — | 2.0 | Deoxidiser |
| Silicon | Si | — | 1.0 | Deoxidiser |
| Carbon | C | — | 0.030 | Low (intergranular resistance) |
| Phosphorus | P | — | 0.030 | Residual impurity |
| Sulphur | S | — | 0.020 | Residual impurity |
Nominal: 22Cr-5.5Ni-3.2Mo-N duplex. PREN ~34-38. (S32205 uses tighter minima: Cr 22-23, Mo 3.0-3.5, N 0.14-0.20.)
Solution-annealed condition, per ASTM A240 for UNS S31803.
| Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength | >=620 | MPa |
| 0.2% yield strength | >=450 | MPa |
| Elongation at break | >=25 | % |
| Brinell hardness | <=293 | HB |
| Rockwell hardness | <=31 | HRC |
Confirm against the mill test report.
| Environment | Performance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chloride SCC | Excellent | Key duplex advantage over austenitics |
| Chloride pitting | Very good | Cr + Mo + N (PREN ~34-38) |
| Crevice corrosion | Very good | Better than 316L |
| General (oxidizing) | Very good | High chromium |
| Sulphide / sour | Good | Listed in NACE MR0175 |
Far better chloride-SCC resistance than austenitic 304/316, with roughly double the strength.
Not hardenable by heat treatment; properties are set by solution annealing and phase balance.
Solution Anneal approximately 1020-1100 °C, followed by rapid water quench to retain the balanced ferrite-austenite structure and avoid embrittling intermetallic phases. Avoid prolonged exposure in the 300-1000 °C range (sigma-phase / 475 °C embrittlement).
Good weldability by common fusion methods; use 2209 (over-alloyed) filler and control heat input (typically <=1.5 kJ/mm) to maintain phase balance.
| Process | Applicability | Filler / Consumable |
|---|---|---|
| GTAW / TIG | Excellent | ER2209 (over-alloyed duplex) |
| GMAW / MIG | Good | ER2209 |
| SMAW / stick | Good | E2209 electrode |
No preheat; control interpass temperature and heat input; balanced weld retains corrosion resistance and toughness.
Machining Guidelines
| Parameter | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Machinability | Duplex; carbide tools, low cutting speeds, rigid setup |
| Work hardening | Significant; positive feeds, avoid dwelling |
| Coolant | Ample flood coolant |
Forming Processes
| Process | Notes |
|---|---|
| Hot forming | ~1230-950 °C; solution anneal + quench afterward |
| Cold forming | Higher forces than austenitics (high duplex strength) |
| Industry | Typical Components | Key Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Oil & gas | Subsea pipelines, pressure vessels | Sour-service + SCC resistance |
| Chemical processing | Heat exchangers, reactors | Pitting + SCC resistance |
| Marine | Propeller shafts, desalination plants | Chloride SCC resistance |
| Pulp & paper | Digesters, bleaching equipment | Chloride + caustic resistance |
| Product Form | Standard | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plate, sheet and strip | ASTM A240 / ASME SA-240 · UNS S31803 / S32205 | — |
| Forgings / fittings / flanges | ASTM A182 / F60 | — |
| Bar and shapes | ASTM A276 / A479 · UNS S31803 | — |
| Seamless / welded tube | ASTM A789 · UNS S31803 | — |
| Seamless / welded pipe | ASTM A790 · UNS S31803 | — |
| Sour service | NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 | Acid-gas applications |
Standard 22Cr ferritic-austenitic (duplex) stainless steel. UNS S31803 / S32205.
| UNS | Cr % | Ni % | Mo % | N % | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S31803 | 21-23 | 4.5-6.5 | 2.5-3.5 | 0.08-0.20 | Standard duplex; broad chloride service |
| S32950 | 26-29 | 3.5-5.2 | 1.0-2.5 | 0.15-0.35 | N-bearing duplex (high Cr) |
| S31200 | 24-26 | 5.5-6.5 | 1.2-2.0 | 0.14-0.20 | N-bearing duplex |
| S32750 | 24-26 | 6.0-8.0 | 3.0-5.0 | 0.24-0.32 | Super duplex (higher PREN) |
| S31603 | 16-18 | 10-14 | 2.0-3.0 | — | Austenitic general service |




