What is the most non-porous (most dense) type of steel.

[MonsterShop]

We are currently using surgical stainless that must be polished to a mirror finish. Is there a metal that is less porous or more dense than this? The customer is having problems with chemicals eating into the surface. It must be reflective or be able to be polished to mirror finish. Price is no object.

Thanks in advance.

 

[arunmrao]

How do you conclude that there are discontinuities on the edge of 410/430 grades stainless steel. These grades can provide excellent finish,but their corrosion resitance may not always be superior. Please provide some more information about the environment in which it is used so that a corrosion resistant material which does not get dull due to chemical attack can be suggested.

" All that is necessary for triumph of evil is that good men do nothing".
Edmund Burke

 

[EdStainless]

You are asking for very different things. How clean the steel is will limit the polish. In general harder steels made with cleaner melt practices (usually re-melted) will polish the best. If you need corrosion resistance that is another issue. We need to know what material you are using now and what chemicals are causing the corrosion.
There are plenty of high strength, high alloy stainless grades that might work.

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formerly Trent Tube, now Plymouth Tube
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or edstainless@earthlink.net

 

[Maui]

Ed is right. We need more information about the problem at hand in ordeer to provide you with a meaningful answer. The presence of non-metallic inclusions can result in the appearance of surface defects on polished components, and for this reason the grade of steel that is purchased for this application should meet, as a minimum, the non-metallic inclusion rating limits that are normally specified for custom knife steels. The reference standard that is normally quoted for this purpose is ASTM E45. Please provide us with more detailed information including the grade of steel in question, whether it is a conventionally produced ingot cast steel grade or a powdered metal, the types of chemicals that it is exposed to, etc.

Maui

 

[Robertmet]

Price is no object ? That's rare.Chemistry , hardness needed ,inclusions all are important .A 416 will not polish as well as a 410 because of inclusions.Crucible's CPM 154 polishes better than 154CM ,same chemistry different melting practice.Give us more info.

 

[kenvlach]

MonsterShop, 'surgical stainless' is a sales term; it has no metallurgical or medical definition. Like asking what engine is best w/o knowing the vehicle (Corvette, Prius, 18-wheeler) or whether acceleration or MPG is more important.

Some SS that I've seen for medical applications include electropolished 316L and Custom 465®. The former has better corrosion resistance & polishes well; the latter is stronger and harder. Also, lots of 'surgical grade' 304 is polished & buffed for automotive aftermarket exhaust systems.

The closest thing to an 'official' surgical stainless is ASTM F138, 'Standard Specification for Wrought 18 Chromium-14 Nickel-2.5 Molybdenum Stainless Steel Bar and Wire for Surgical Implants (UNS S31673).' I don't have the spec., but it seems to be a high purity, vacuum remelted (VM) version of 316L.

So, like earlier responders, I'd say more application information is necessary.