UNS S41003 (3CR12) Stainless Steel
S41003 stainless steel is a martensitic stainless steel formulated for primary forming into wrought products. Cited properties are appropriate for the annealed condition. S41003 is the UNS number for this material. 3CR12 is the common industry name.
It has a moderately low embodied energy among wrought martensitic stainless steels. In addition, it has a fairly low tensile strength and a moderately high ductility.
The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare S41003 stainless steel to: wrought martensitic 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
200
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
190 GPa 28 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
21 %
Fatigue Strength
200 MPa 29 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.28
Rockwell C Hardness
17
Shear Modulus
76 GPa 11 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
320 MPa 47 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
520 MPa 75 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
310 MPa 45 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
270 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Corrosion
390 °C 730 °F
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
720 °C 1320 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
1440 °C 2630 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
1400 °C 2560 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
480 J/kg-K 0.11 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
27 W/m-K 15 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
10 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
2.9 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
3.3 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
7.0 % relative
Density
7.8 g/cm3 480 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
1.9 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
27 MJ/kg 12 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
97 L/kg 12 gal/lb
Common Calculations
PREN (Pitting Resistance)
12
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
92 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
240 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
14 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
25 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
19 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
18 points
Thermal Diffusivity
7.2 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
19 points
Alloy Composition
Among wrought stainless steels, the composition of S41003 stainless steel is notable for containing comparatively high amounts of chromium (Cr) and manganese (Mn). Chromium is the defining alloying element of stainless steel. Higher chromium content imparts additional corrosion resistance. Manganese is used to improve ductility at elevated temperatures. It also permits a higher nitrogen content than would otherwise be possible.
| Fe | 83.4 to 89.5 | |
| Cr | 10.5 to 12.5 | |
| Mn | 0 to 1.5 | |
| Ni | 0 to 1.5 | |
| Si | 0 to 1.0 | |
| P | 0 to 0.040 | |
| C | 0 to 0.030 | |
| S | 0 to 0.030 | |
| N | 0 to 0.030 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
Metallic Materials: Physical, Mechanical, and Corrosion Properties, Philip A. Schweitzer, 2003
ASTM A240: Standard Specification for Chromium and Chromium-Nickel Stainless Steel Plate, Sheet, and Strip for Pressure Vessels and for General Applications
Welding Metallurgy and Weldability of Stainless Steels, John C. Lippold and Damian J. Kotecki, 2005
ASTM A959: Standard Guide for Specifying Harmonized Standard Grade Compositions for Wrought Stainless Steels
Corrosion of Stainless Steels, A. John Sedriks, 1996
ASM Specialty Handbook: Stainless Steels, J. R. Davis (editor), 1994
Advances in Stainless Steels, Baldev Raj et al. (editors), 2010
CRC Materials Science and Engineering Handbook, 4th ed., James F. Shackelford et al. (editors), 2015