Stainless Steel - Sorting and Identification Tests

January 21, 2013

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Stainless Steel - Sorting and Identification Tests

Topics Covered
Background
Tests

Background
These tests are intended for rapid, inexpensive and usually non-destructive and on-site
sorting of grades of stainless steel. They are particularly useful for sorting products when,
for example, bars of grades 304 and 303 have been accidentally stored together, or grade
304 and 316 sheet offcuts mixed.
These tests are extremely useful, but it is important to realise that they have limitations;
they cannot sort one heat from another of the same grade, and there is no easy way of
sorting certain grades from each other. For instance, it is not possible to readily sort 304
from 321, 316 from 316L or 304 from 304L. The Molybdenum spot test therefore indicates
that a piece of steel contains Mo, but does not alone indicate 316. In the absence of other
knowledge the steel could be 316L, 2205 or 904L etc.

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The simple tests described may assist in grade identification and product sorting. Other,
more complex tests can also be carried out; these can involve several chemical reagents,
hardness tests or checking response to heat treatment. In most cases, however, if these
simple tests are not sufficient to identify the product it is best to have a full spectrometric
analysis carried out by a competent laboratory.
The need for these sorting tests can be reduced if original product identification is retained.
Product colour codes, tags and stickers and stamped or stencilled Heat/Grade/Specification
markings should be retained as much as possible.

Tests
Table 1. Tests for the identification and sorting of stainless steel
Test

What Can Be Sorted

Method

Precautions

Magnetic Response

Austenitic (300 Series)

Note response, if any,

Some austenitic grades,

stainless steels from

when a permanent

particularly 304, are

other steels. All other

magnet is brought close

attracted when cold

steels are attracted to a

to the steel.

worked, eg by bending,

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magnet, including the

forming or rolling. Stress

ferritic, duplex,

relieving at cherry-red

martensitic and

heat will remove this

precipitation hardening

response due to cold

stainless steels. The only

work. This stress relief

other non-magnetic

may sensitise the steel

steels are the austenitic

and should not be

Stainless Steel - Sorting and Identification Tests

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Nitric Acid Reaction

Precision Induction for Brazing

Stainless steels from

1. Place a piece of the

Wear safety glasses.

non-stainless steels.

steel in strong nitric acid

Strong nitric acid attacks

(20% to 50%) at room

skin and is very

temperature, or a drop

corrosive. Handle

of the acid on a cleaned

carefully. Use minimum

surface of the steel.

quantities. Wash off

2. Test standard samples

immediately if skin

in the same way, ie

contact occurs. Do not

stainless and non-

breathe brown fume.

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stainless steel samples.

3. Non-stainless steels
will quickly be attacked,
a pungent brown fume is
produced. Stainless
steels are not affected.
Compare result with
standards.
4. Wash samples
thoroughly afterwards.

Molybdenum Spot Test

(Mo)

Stainless steels which

1. Clean the steel

Avoid contact of test

contain significant

surface; use abrasive

solution on skin, and

Molybdenum from those

paper, and if necessary

particularly eyes. Wash

which do not. The most

degrease and dry.

off immediately if

common use is to sort

2. Use "Decapoli

contacted. Reliable

404 from 316, but the

304/316" solution

results only obtained if

following grades also

shake well, then place

samples all the same

contain sufficient Mo to

one drop on the steel.

temperature and freshly

give a positive response

3. Place similar drops on

cleaned. Avoid very low

to this test: 316, 316L,

standard 304 and 316

sample temperatures.

317, 317L, 444, 904L,

samples.

Some Heats of "Mo-free"

2205, "6-Mo" grades,

4. Darkening of the

stainless steels, such as

4565S and all super

yellow drop in 2 to 4

304, contain enough Mo

duplex grades (e.g.

minutes indicates

to give a slight reaction.

S32760 / Zeron 100 /

significant Mo. Compare

Standard comparison

S32750 / 2507 / S32550

with indications on

samples must be used.

/ Alloy 255 / S32520 /

standard samples.

UR52N+). Other similar

5. Wash or wipe samples

grades with deliberate

clean.

Molybdenum additions
will also respond.

Sulphur Spot Test (S)

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Steels (stainless and

1. Clean the steel

Wear safety glasses.

plain carbon) containing

surface; use abrasive

Avoid contact of acid

at least 0.1% Sulphur, ie

paper, and if necessary

with skin and eyes.

free machining grades.

degrease. A flat area is

Wash immediately if

(eg S1214, S12L14, 303,

preferred.

contacted. Reliable

416, 430F), from non-

2. Prepare standard

results depend on good

free machining steels.

samples in the same

contact with the paper,

Ugima 303 contains high

way, eg known CS1020

and consistent time of

sulphur (the same as

and S1214, or 304 and

contact. Standard

standard Type 303) so

303.

comparison samples

will give a positive

3. Soak photographic

must be tested in

reaction, but Ugima 304

paper in 3% sulphuric

conjunction with the

and Ugima 316 have the

acid for about 3

unknown samples.

same low sulphur

minutes.

contents as their

4. Press the prepared

standard (non-Ugima)

steel surfaces on the

equivalents, so will not

face of the photographic

give positive reactions.

paper for 5 sec.

Stainless Steel - Sorting and Identification Tests

5. A dark brown stain
indicates significant
sulphur. Compare with
indications from standard
samples.
6. Wash samples
thoroughly.

Source: Atlas Steels Australia

For more information on this source please visit Atlas Steels Australia

Date Added: Feb 7, 2002

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