There are different grades of stainless steel according to the composition like 302, 304, 304L, 316, 316L, 410, 430, 440 etc. but all are not used in pharmaceutical. Pharmaceutical equipment is made of the material that should not react with the active material or excipients used in pharmaceutical manufacturing.
The word ‘stainless steel’ itself says the steel that doesn't get stain or rust. Stainless steels are highly stable material under different environmental conditions.
Mainly four types of stainless steels are used in pharmaceutical equipment manufacturing, 304, 304L, 316 and 316L.
Stainless steel 316 and 316L are used to construct the equipment those get direct contact with the pharmaceutical products including water system tanks and pipelines while 304 is used for the non-contact parts.
Stainless steel 316 is more resistant than 304 against the acid and base attacks. Weak acids and bases have no effect on the stainless steel. Both of these are non-magnetic. The stainless steel grades with L (304L and 316L) has the low amount of carbon (0.03%).
SS Type
|
Stainless Steel Ingredients (%)
|
||||||||
C
|
Mn
|
Si
|
P
|
S
|
Cr
|
Ni
|
Mo
|
N
|
|
304
|
0.08
|
2.0
|
0.75
|
0.045
|
0.03
|
18-20
|
8.0-10.5
|
-
|
-
|
304L
|
0.03
|
2.0
|
0.75
|
0.045
|
0.03
|
18-20
|
9.0-13.0
|
-
|
-
|
316
|
0.08
|
2.0
|
1.0
|
0.045
|
0.03
|
16-18
|
10.0-14.0
|
2.0-3.0
|
0.1
|
316L
|
0.03
|
2.0
|
1.0
|
0.045
|
0.03
|
16-18
|
12.0-15.0
|
2.0-3.0
|
0.1
|
These elements are added in steel to develop the special properties. Chromium (Cr) is added to the stainless steel to make its surface resistant to the corrosion, oxidation and to give it tensile strength. 2% Manganese (Mn) improves working strength of the stainless steel at high temperature while above 2% also increases the tensile strength.
Silicon (Si) gives the strength and resistance to strong acids as sulfuric acid. Nickel (Ni) improves the resistance to the hot and humid environmental conditions. These properties make the stainless steel strong and durable.
I would want to understand how to protect inside layers of SS Tanks in a pharma company where they are working with all types of acids. They have tanks, reactors, pipelines of various dia sizes having corrosion problem. Can we suggest a high performance polymer composite which becomes a ceramic-like compound.
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