TP304 vs 304 vs 304L Stainless Steel Pipes – What’s the Difference?

Stainless steel pipe is a common industrial material, which comes in many different types and grades， such as TP 304, 304, and 304L, with different properties and uses. So, TP304 vs 304 vs 304L stainless steel pipes – what’s the difference? Today we’ll talk about the differences between TP304 vs 304 vs 304L stainless steel pipes, and see what their similarities and differences are.

TP304 vs 304 vs 304L Stainless Steel Pipes – What’s the Difference?

First, we need to know that TP304 and 304 are both kinds of stainless steel, which are made up of iron, carbon, chromium, nickel, and other elements. They both have good corrosion resistance, heat resistance, formability, and other characteristics, and are widely used in food, chemicals, atomic energy, and other fields.

So, what’s the difference between TP304 and 304? Actually, TP304 and 304 are the same material, but their representations are different. TP304 is the American standard representation method, where TP is the abbreviation of tube and pipe, meaning stainless steel steel pipe for piping. While 304 is the international standard representation method, which is also the Chinese national standard brand name, called 0Cr18Ni9.

Then, why are there two representation methods? This is because different countries or regions have different standard systems. In order to facilitate communication and comparison, there needs to be a unified international standard. Therefore, TP304 and 304 are actually the same thing, just different names.

However, in practical use, there are still some subtle differences between TP304 and 304. This mainly reflects in their chemical composition. According to the American standard and Chinese national standard regulations, the carbon content, phosphorus content, sulfur content, and other elements of TP304 and 304 have certain range requirements. Among them, the chromium content of TP304 is higher, reaching more than 18%, while the chromium content requirement of 304 is between 17% to 19%. This results in TP304 being more corrosion-resistant than 304, but also more expensive.

In addition to TP304 and 304, there is also a type of stainless steel pipe called 304L. It is a variant of 304 stainless steel pipe, the main difference being that its carbon content is lower, less than or equal to 0.03%. The purpose of this is to improve its welding performance. Because the lower the carbon content, the less carbide generated during welding, which can avoid the risk of intergranular corrosion. Therefore, if you need to weld stainless steel pipe, it is best to choose 304L.

In short, TP304 and 304 stainless steel pipes are the same material, but the expression methods are different. They both have good comprehensive performance and are suitable for various applications. However, there are still some differences in chemical composition, mainly reflected in the chromium content. TP304 is more resistant to corrosion than 304, but also more expensive. If you need to weld stainless steel pipes, it is best to choose 304L with lower carbon content.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading our article and we hope it can help you to have a better understanding of the differences between TP304 vs 304 vs 304L stainless steel pipes. If you want to find more information about TP304 vs 304 vs 304L, we would advise you to visit Sino Stainless Steel.

As a leading supplier of stainless steel products throughout the world, Sino Stainless Steel offers customers high-quality stainless steel pipes, stainless steel strips, stainless steel coils, stainless steel plates, stainless steel sheets, stainless steel bars, and stainless steel tubes at an extremely competitive price.