Manganese stainless steel

Manganese addition is a cheaper way than chromium to achieve an austenitic microstructure, but the corrosion resistance is lower than the one of an austenitic chromium-nickel steel. The steel in this example is not standardized in Germany and contains 0.20% C, 12% Cr, 8% Mn, 1% Ni and 0.7% Cu. The carbon content here, which is much too high for a stainless steel, also leads to the precipitation of chromium carbides M23C6 at the grain boundaries, resulting in the risk of intercrystalline corrosion. Hardness: approx. 320 HV5.