ASTM Grade HE (29Cr-9Ni, J93403) Cast Stainless Steel
ASTM grade HE steel is an austenitic stainless steel formulated for casting. Cited properties are appropriate for the as-fabricated (no temper or treatment) condition. HE is the ASTM designation for this material. J93403 is the UNS number. And 29Cr-9Ni is the common industry name.
It has a very high tensile strength among cast austenitic stainless steels. In addition, it has a moderately low embodied energy and a moderately low ductility.
The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare ASTM grade HE steel to: cast austenitic stainless steels (top), all iron alloys (middle), and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.
Mechanical Properties
Brinell Hardness
190
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
200 GPa 29 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
10 %
Fatigue Strength
160 MPa 24 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.27
Shear Modulus
79 GPa 12 x 106 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
670 MPa 97 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
310 MPa 45 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
310 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Corrosion
450 °C 850 °F
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
1100 °C 2010 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
1400 °C 2560 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
1360 °C 2480 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
490 J/kg-K 0.12 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
14 W/m-K 7.9 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
17 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
2.1 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
2.5 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
19 % relative
Density
7.7 g/cm3 480 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
3.5 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
50 MJ/kg 22 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
190 L/kg 22 gal/lb
Common Calculations
PREN (Pitting Resistance)
29
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
56 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
240 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
15 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
25 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
24 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
22 points
Thermal Diffusivity
3.6 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
14 points
Alloy Composition
Among cast stainless steels, the composition of ASTM grade HE steel is notable for containing a comparatively high amount of chromium (Cr). Chromium is the defining alloying element of stainless steel. Higher chromium content imparts additional corrosion resistance.
| Fe | 53.9 to 65.8 | |
| Cr | 26 to 30 | |
| Ni | 8.0 to 11 | |
| Mn | 0 to 2.0 | |
| Si | 0 to 2.0 | |
| C | 0.2 to 0.5 | |
| Mo | 0 to 0.5 | |
| P | 0 to 0.040 | |
| S | 0 to 0.040 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
ASTM A297: Standard Specification for Steel Castings, Iron-Chromium and Iron-Chromium-Nickel, Heat Resistant, for General Application
Welding Metallurgy and Weldability of Stainless Steels, John C. Lippold and Damian J. Kotecki, 2005
Corrosion of Austenitic Stainless Steels: Mechanism, Mitigation and Monitoring, H. S. Khatak and B. Raj (editors), 2002
Austenitic Stainless Steels: Microstructure and Mechanical Properties, P. Marshall, 1984
Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High Performance Alloys, ASM Handbook vol. 1, ASM International, 1993
ASM Specialty Handbook: Stainless Steels, J. R. Davis (editor), 1994
CRC Materials Science and Engineering Handbook, 4th ed., James F. Shackelford et al. (editors), 2015