316L is one of the basic grade of the stainless steels range. The addition of molybdenum improves its resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion, compared to 304L. 316L is an austenitic microstructure grade, free of chromium carbide precipitations in grain boundaries and some residual ferrite after solution annealing (1050 - 1150°C - 1922 - 2102°F) and water quenching. The 316L steel resists to wet atmosphere solutions containing small chloride or fluoride additions at room temperature. The alloy may be used in diluted sulphuric acids at low temperature (≤ 330°C - 626°F) as well as in sour organic solutions.
