Various industries and production processes require resistant materials to carry out their work. Although metal is a strong, quality element with excellent malleability, it must have certain characteristics to make it viable for a project or for use as raw material in the manufacture of a product. It should be mentioned that most metals undergo an oxidation process.
For this reason, it is essential to analyze the useful life required by an alloy in a particular industry. For example, silver loses its beauty when it turns black, aluminum has a degradation process that changes its color to white, copper tends to take on a green coloration and steel changes its coloration to red with oxidation. However, stainless steel is the best alloy for a large number of processes and industrial products. Mainly when the properties of ferritic and austenitic are combined, which generates an extraordinary metal.
What are duplex stainless steels and what benefits do they provide?
The first thing we need to know is that duplex stainless steels have an alloy that presents an excellent combination between the beneficial properties of austenitic and ferritic, the main reason why they are also called austeno-ferritic. These types of metals are based on elements such as Iron with Chromium, in addition to Molybdenum, Nickel and Nitrogen. They are given the name duplex because it is an alloy that has a perfect balance between the ductility of the austenitic and the corrosion resistance of the ferritics. In addition, the added Molybdenum makes the passive layer more resistant and achieves better pitting corrosion resistance in the metal.
In other words, the main characteristics of duplex stainless steels are the following elements:
- They have outstanding resistance to pitting and cavity corrosion in metal.
- High resistance to stress corrosion cracking.
- Excellent mechanical resistance.
- Ease of manufacture and mass production.
- They are a metal option with magnetic presence.
- They have one of the best fatigue resistances on the market.
- They also excellently withstand abrasion and wear.
What are the main groups of duplex stainless steels?
To classify stainless steel into groups, an AISI system is used, where three digits are used, which are sometimes followed by one more figure or a letter depending on their composition and properties. The first digit helps to know the type of steel we are dealing with. For example, the series that make up the 2xx and 3xx are the austenitic steels. While the 4xx series corresponds to ferritic steels.
Now, duplex stainless steel is divided into three main groups, which are the following:
1. Light duplex, where stainless steels such as LDX 2101 and 2304 are found.
2. Standard duplex, where some alloys such as 2205 are found.
3. Super duplex, a group in which duplex stainless steel 2507 is found.
Main uses of duplex stainless steels in industries
Duplex steels have a large number of uses in different industries, due to their resistance and ease of working with this material. Some of their main uses are in processes for oil extraction and gas containment, as well as being used in various instruments that have direct contact with the sea, such as in seawater desalination plants, for example. Another important use for this metal is in the chemical industry, mainly when handling chlorides is required. Also in the production of pulp and paper, in piping systems in chemical product tanks, bridges of various sizes or types, heat reactors, shafts, impellers and rotors of different vehicles and many more.
One of the main examples of the use of this alloy in our country is in the famous "Estela de Luz". Where the LDX 2101 stainless steel was used to create the 8 columns that make up this work. Which have an approximate size of 8 meters in diameter by 114 in height, which allows us to see the ease of working with this type of metal.
At Ulbrinox we have the stainless steel alloy you need. Our experience and quality in our products have allowed us to be one of the main suppliers of this metal in Mexico and Latin America. Come to us! If you wish, you can request a quote on this website or ask us any questions in our online chat .
