310S 2520 Heat Resistant Stainless Steel Sheet Plate 0.5mm-20mm High Temperature

Grade 310S stainless steel sheet, also known as 2520 in Chinese industry nomenclature referencing its nominal 25% chromium and 20% nickel composition, is the premier wrought austenitic heat resisting alloy for applications requiring sustained exposure to elevated temperatures. The exceptionally high chromium content forms a dense, adherent chromium oxide (Cr2O3) protective scale that resists spalling under cyclic thermal conditions and provides oxidation resistance in air up to 1150°C for continuous service. The high nickel content stabilizes the austenitic structure against sigma phase formation at intermediate temperatures, maintains creep strength at elevated temperatures, and provides resistance to carburizing and reducing atmospheres. The low carbon variant designated 310S (0.08% C maximum versus 0.25% C for standard 310) minimizes carbide precipitation during welding and elevated temperature service, preserving ductility and intergranular corrosion resistance in the weld heat-affected zone. This combination of properties makes 310S the definitive material choice for industrial furnace components, heat treatment fixtures, kiln furniture, radiant tubes, muffles, burner nozzles, and thermal processing equipment across the steel, ceramics, glass, cement, petrochemical, and waste incineration industries.

Manufacturing of 310S stainless steel sheet demands precise control of the high-alloy chemistry during melting, refining, and casting processes. Our production employs electric arc furnace melting with AOD refining to achieve tight control over the 24-26% chromium and 19-22% nickel ranges that define the alloy, while minimizing residual elements including phosphorus, sulfur, and trace metals that could compromise high-temperature mechanical properties. The continuous casting process is optimized to prevent centerline segregation of the high alloy content, and cast slabs undergo careful surface conditioning before hot rolling. Hot rolling temperatures are maintained above 950°C throughout the reduction sequence to avoid cracking in this high-alloy austenitic material. Following hot rolling, plates undergo solution annealing at 1040-1150°C followed by rapid water quenching to dissolve any carbide precipitates and restore the fully austenitic microstructure. Cold rolled sheet products receive a final bright annealing treatment in a protective atmosphere to produce the 2B or BA surface finish. The high chromium and nickel content results in a work hardening rate significantly higher than standard 304 grade, necessitating intermediate annealing for deep drawing or complex forming operations.

• Exceptional Oxidation Resistance: 25% chromium content forms a dense Cr2O3 protective scale enabling continuous service to 1150°C in oxidizing atmospheres, with excellent resistance to cyclic oxidation and thermal shock spalling compared to lower chromium grades.
• High Nickel Content Stability: 20% nickel fully stabilizes the austenitic microstructure, preventing sigma phase embrittlement at intermediate temperatures (600-900°C) that plagues lower nickel heat resistant grades during long-term service.
• Low Carbon 310S Variant: Maximum 0.08% carbon minimizes chromium carbide precipitation at grain boundaries during welding and elevated temperature exposure, preserving ductility and eliminating the need for post-weld solution annealing in most applications.
• Carburization Resistance: High chromium and nickel content provides excellent resistance to carbon absorption from carburizing furnace atmospheres, maintaining surface integrity and preventing embrittlement in heat treatment and case hardening applications.
• Good High-Temperature Strength: Retains useful creep-rupture strength at temperatures up to 900°C, with 100,000-hour rupture stress of approximately 12 MPa at 800°C, suitable for moderate load-bearing furnace components and radiant tube applications.
• Sulfidation Resistance: High chromium content provides useful resistance to sulfur-containing combustion gases in oxidizing conditions at elevated temperatures, suitable for waste incineration and fossil fuel-fired furnace components.
• Weldable with Matching Filler: Can be welded using GTAW, GMAW, and SMAW processes with ER310/ER310S filler metal, maintaining high-temperature corrosion resistance in the weld zone when proper heat input control is applied.

The primary application domain for 310S stainless steel sheet is industrial heat treatment and thermal processing equipment where components operate continuously at temperatures above 800°C. Furnace components fabricated from 310S include radiant tubes, burner nozzles, retorts, muffles, conveyor belts, rollers, and walking beam furnace hearth supports in continuous annealing lines for steel strip processing. Heat treatment shops utilize 310S for carburizing and nitriding furnace baskets, grids, trays, and fixtures that must withstand repeated thermal cycling between ambient and treatment temperatures up to 950°C while resisting carbon absorption from the furnace atmosphere. The ceramics and glass industries specify 310S for kiln furniture, kiln car decking, burner quarls, and lehr rolls in continuous glass tempering furnaces where the alloy resists both oxidation and attack from molten glass contact. Petrochemical processing applications include steam methane reformer components, ethylene pyrolysis furnace tubes, and refinery fired heater tube supports operating in the 700-950°C range. Power generation uses include boiler tube hangers, burner components, and flue gas duct expansion joints in fossil fuel and biomass-fired power plants. Waste incineration facilities employ 310S for combustion chamber liners, afterburner components, and heat recovery steam generator tube supports. Food processing applications include bakery oven conveyor belts and pizza oven deck plates. In the automotive sector, 310S is used for exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler components and diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration system hardware.

Quality assurance for 310S heat resistant stainless steel sheet emphasizes both ambient temperature conformance and high-temperature performance characteristics critical to the alloy's intended service. Chemistry verification by optical emission spectrometry on each heat confirms the high chromium (24-26%) and nickel (19-22%) content that defines the grade. Room temperature tensile testing per ASTM A370 verifies conformance to ASTM A240 mechanical property requirements. Grain size determination per ASTM E112 ensures a grain size of ASTM 4 or finer for optimal creep resistance at elevated temperatures. High-temperature oxidation resistance is verified through cyclic oxidation testing at 1100°C for a minimum of 200 hours with weight change measurement demonstrating protective scale formation without breakaway oxidation. Microstructural examination confirms a fully austenitic structure free from sigma phase, continuous carbide networks, and excessive delta ferrite stringers. Intergranular corrosion susceptibility is assessed per ASTM A262 Practice E (copper-copper sulfate-sulfuric acid test) for sensitization verification. Sheet flatness is measured using a precision surface plate and feeler gauge to ensure compliance with ASTM A480 tolerances for the specified thickness and width. Finished sheets are interleaved with neutral pH paper, stacked on ISPM 15 certified fumigated wooden pallets, protected with edge guards, and wrapped in waterproof polyethylene sheeting. Each shipment includes the EN 10204 3.1 material test certificate, dimensional inspection report, grain size report, and certificate of origin. Special documentation packages for boiler and pressure vessel code compliance can be provided upon request.