EN 10088-2 X2CrNiN23-4 1.4362 Stainless Steel Plate

EN 10088-2 X2CrNiN23-4 1.4362 stainless steel plate is a lean duplex (austenitic-ferritic) flat product supplied to EN 10088-2, the European standard for stainless steel sheet, plate and strip for general purposes. X2CrNiN23-4 contains up to 0.030 % carbon, 22.0 – 24.5 % chromium, 3.5 – 5.5 % nickel, 0.10 – 0.60 % molybdenum, 0.05 – 0.20 % nitrogen and 0.10 – 0.60 % copper. It is the composition widely known as 2304 and is one of the two standard austenitic-ferritic grades in EN 10088-2, the other being 1.4462. It is listed as cold rolled strip up to 8 mm, continuously hot rolled strip up to 13.5 mm and hot rolled plate up to 75 mm, solution annealed, with a minimum plate proof strength of 400 MPa. Table 8 rates it resistant to intergranular corrosion both as delivered and after sensitization.

SHH STEEL works as a steel sourcing partner with long-term relationships with Chinese stainless mills that roll duplex hot rolled plate, coil and cold rolled sheet. For large tonnages, the buyer can contract directly with a suitable mill, with SHH STEEL assisting for a modest service fee and handling follow-up and documents. For small orders we consolidate demand, so that 1 – 5 t lots are placed against genuine mill production instead of stock of unknown origin. Each shipment can be released after third-party inspection by TUV, ABS, BV, DNV, CCS or an agency the buyer nominates, and payment by TT or LC is accepted. The rest of this page covers the technical side of EN 10088-2 1.4362 and the steps we take so that the sheet that arrives is the sheet that was ordered.

The table below lists the concerns buyers raise most often when sourcing EN 10088-2 X2CrNiN23-4 sheet and plate from China, and how SHH STEEL deals with each of them.

1.4362 corresponds to UNS S32304 in ASTM A240 (see ASTM A240 2304 stainless steel plate). ASTM A240-22 gives S32304 the type name 2304 and notes that this is a common name, not a trademark, not associated with any one producer. Branded versions exist, such as Alleima’s SAF 2304; SAF is an Alleima trademark. SHH STEEL orders and certifies by EN steel number and UNS number, and a branded product has to be named and agreed in the order. For pressure equipment the grade is ordered to EN 10028-7; see EN 10028-7 1.4362 pressure vessel plate.

Every EN range lies inside the corresponding ASTM range, so a heat that meets EN 10088-2 1.4362 normally also meets the S32304 chemistry; the reverse is not true, because ASTM allows less chromium, nickel and copper and more manganese, phosphorus and sulphur. EN 10088-2:2014 changed the 1.4362 composition compared with the 2005 edition, and older data sheets may still show 22.0 – 24.0 % chromium. SHH STEEL checks the certificate against the edition and standards named in the order.

1.4362 is also listed in EN 10028-7:2016 for pressure purposes. That standard may set its own test and property requirements, which we have not reproduced here.

Edition note: the values on this page are taken from EN 10088-2:2014. A revised edition (EN 10088-2:2024) has since been published. If your contract names the newer edition, SHH STEEL checks the order against that text before production, and any difference is raised at the quotation stage rather than after rolling.

The 1.4362 chemical composition below is the cast (heat) analysis from EN 10088-2:2014 Table 2. Values are percentages by mass; a single figure is a maximum.

The 1.4362 chemical composition relies on chromium and nitrogen rather than molybdenum, which keeps the alloy cost moderate. Nickel of 3.5 – 5.5 % and nitrogen keep enough austenite in the structure. SHH STEEL checks chromium, nickel, nitrogen and copper on every certificate, and calculates the PRE from the cast analysis when the order asks for it.

Product analysis tolerances (EN 10088-2 Table 5)

A product analysis is a check made on the delivered sheet. It is not mandatory under EN 10088-2; it is carried out when agreed at the time of enquiry and order, and SHH STEEL can arrange it through a partner laboratory. The permissible tolerances on the cast limits are:

Where several product analyses are made on one cast, individual results may exceed the maximum or fall below the minimum, but not both for the same element. Nickel uses ± 0.07 % at the 3.5 % minimum and ± 0.10 % at the 5.5 % maximum, because Table 5 changes band at 5.0 %. Molybdenum, copper and the nitrogen minimum fall in plus-only bands, so their minimums do not move. If a product analysis is required, it should be stated in the order together with the Table 5 tolerances.

The 1.4362 mechanical properties below are the room-temperature values from EN 10088-2:2014 Table 8 for austenitic-ferritic steels in the solution annealed condition. Proof strength applies to transverse test pieces; elongation applies to longitudinal and transverse test pieces, with A80 below 3 mm and the proportional elongation A from 3 mm.

Table 8 gives no 1 % proof strength: under section 7.4.2 of EN 10088-2 the 1 % proof strength is determined for austenitic steels only. For continuously hot rolled products, 20 MPa higher minimum Rp0.2 values may be agreed at the time of enquiry and order. For strip in rolling widths below 300 mm tested longitudinally, the minimum proof strength is reduced by 15 MPa. For bigger sizes than those listed, mechanical values are to be agreed.

Table 8 rates 1.4362 resistance to intergranular corrosion (EN ISO 3651-2) as “yes” in both the delivery condition and the sensitized condition. The plate proof strength of 400 MPa compares with 220 MPa for 1.4404 plate in Table 7.

Cold worked condition (process route 2H)

EN 10088-2 Tables 19 and 20 list no cold worked (2H) strength levels for 1.4362, or for any other austenitic-ferritic grade, so it is ordered in the solution annealed condition (+AT). Its annealed proof strength is already almost twice that of 1.4404.

Minimum 0.2 % proof strength at elevated temperature (EN 10088-2 Table 13, +AT)

Table 13 gives values only from 100 °C to 250 °C, and only for the 0.2 % proof strength. The IMOA “Practical Guidelines for the Fabrication of Duplex Stainless Steels” (3rd edition) explains that alpha prime forms in the ferrite below about 525 °C, causing 475 °C embrittlement, although the effect is much less pronounced in the lean duplex grades. Pressure codes still set upper limits: for 2304, 315 °C in the ASME code and 300 °C in the German TÜV code.

EN 10088-2 Table A.2 gives the following guideline temperatures for 1.4362:

The footnotes to Table A.2 state that solution annealing temperatures shall be agreed for simulated heat-treated test pieces, that with a continuous furnace the upper part of the range is usually preferred or even exceeded, and that cooling must be rapid enough to avoid precipitation.

According to the IMOA “Practical Guidelines for the Fabrication of Duplex Stainless Steels” (3rd edition), postweld stress relief is not needed for duplex grades and is likely to be harmful, because it may precipitate intermetallic phases (700 – 1 000 °C) or alpha prime (around 475 °C); where a heat treatment is needed, it should be a full solution anneal followed by water quenching.

The Euro Inox tables give the same 950 – 1 050 °C range, with cooling in water or air. This range is below the 1 020 – 1 100 °C of 1.4462. Material is delivered as +AT.

The values below are approximate reference figures for X2CrNiN23-4 at room temperature, from the worldstainless “Tables of Technical Properties”, which follow EN 10088-1. They are suitable for design estimates and weight calculation; where a figure is critical, use EN 10088-1 itself.

The worldstainless table gives 1.4362 a density of 7.8 g/cm³, a modulus of 200 GPa, a thermal conductivity of 15 W/(m·K) and an electrical resistivity of 0.80 Ω·mm²/m, the same as for 1.4462, and lists it under the ferromagnetic grades. The thermal expansion of 13.5 × 10⁻⁶ /K is lower than for the austenitic grades such as EN 10088-2 1.4404 plate, which reduces distortion in welded structures.

The Euro Inox fabrication tables list 1.4362 for the chemical industry, biogas digesters and load-bearing building components, and describe high strength and corrosion resistance. Its PRE (Cr + 3.3 Mo + 16 N) is about 23.1 at the minimum of the EN ranges, so its pitting resistance is in the range of the 316L-type austenitic grades rather than of 1.4462; the low molybdenum is the main limit in chloride service. EN 10088-2 Table 8 rates its resistance to intergranular corrosion, tested to EN ISO 3651-2, as “yes” in the delivery condition and “yes” in the sensitized condition.

Where more pitting resistance is needed, EN 10088-2 1.4462 plate adds 2.50 – 3.5 % molybdenum; EN 10088-2 1.4410 plate is the super duplex option.

As EN 10088-2 notes, corrosion resistance depends strongly on the environment and cannot always be judged from laboratory tests, so experience with the grade in similar service should be used.

1.4362 is readily weldable; like all duplex grades, the procedure has to keep the ferrite-austenite balance.

• The Euro Inox fabrication tables rate TIG/MIG, manual metal arc and resistance welding as suitable for 1.4362, and list the fillers 1.4362 and 1.4462.
• The IMOA “Practical Guidelines for the Fabrication of Duplex Stainless Steels” (3rd edition) limits the interpass temperature to 150 °C for lean and standard duplex grades and does not recommend preheating, except about 100 °C to remove moisture.
• It warns that very low heat input leaves an excessively ferritic weld and heat-affected zone; autogenous welds without filler are highly ferritic unless solution annealed afterwards.
• The guide lists lower TÜV design-temperature limits for 2304 welded with 2205/2209 filler (250 °C) than with matching filler (300 °C).
• EN 10088-2 does not specify welding procedures; these are published guidelines.

These points reflect industry practice for duplex (austenitic-ferritic) stainless steels rather than requirements of EN 10088-2, which does not specify welding procedures. In the SHH STEEL workshop, plate blanks are cut with clean, burr-free edges, ready for the fabricator’s own joint preparation.

Annealed 1.4362 has good ductility, with at least 20 – 25 % elongation in Table 8, but its proof strength of 400 – 450 MPa is almost twice that of 1.4404. The IMOA guide notes that the higher strength of duplex steels means higher forming forces and larger springback in bending than for austenitic grades, and that shears and slitters need more power: the maximum thickness of 2304 or 2205 that can be sheared on a given machine is about 75 % of that for Type 304 or 316, and about 65 % for super duplex. Plasma and laser cutting use the same equipment as for austenitic steels, with a narrow heat-affected zone of about 0.25 mm that is removed by normal weld preparation. Machining is more demanding than for the 300-series grades, so rigid set-ups, sharp tools and generous coolant are recommended.

The IMOA guide notes that the lean duplex grades are easier to machine than the more highly alloyed duplex grades, and cautions that prolonged warm forming above about 315 °C can reduce ambient-temperature toughness.

We run our own workshop next to the warehouse, so 1.4362 plate and X2CrNiN23-4 plate blanks can be delivered cut to size, laser-cut or bent, with protective film on visible surfaces. Details are on our steel cutting services and bending and forming services pages.

1.4362 is listed in EN 10088-2 as cold rolled strip, continuously hot rolled strip and hot rolled plate, all solution annealed.

EN 10088-2 Table 8 gives mechanical values for hot rolled plate up to 75 mm; for bigger sizes the mechanical values shall be agreed at the time of enquiry and order. Under section 6.9 of the standard, EN ISO 18286 normally applies only to individually rolled quarto plate, while continuously rolled material follows EN ISO 9444-2. Ultrasonic testing of austenitic-ferritic flat products of 6 mm and over may be agreed to EN 10307 (section 6.7).

SHH STEEL can supply 1.4362 lean duplex plate and 1.4362 cold rolled sheet, in standard sizes or cut to your drawing, after confirming the rolling schedule with the mill.

Surface finish is ordered by the process route symbols of EN 10088-2 Table 6; trade names from ASTM and JIS are shown for reference. Not every route is available for every grade, and the mill confirms which ones it can supply.

The No.1, No.4 and BA cross-references follow worldstainless and IMOA comparison tables; EN 10088-2 itself defines only the EN symbols, and not every route is available for every grade. Special finishes such as 1J and 2J apply to one surface unless otherwise agreed. The Euro Inox tables give no polishability rating for 1.4362.

The usual 1.4362 equivalent is UNS S32304 (2304) in ASTM A240; on the 1.4362 vs 2304 question, the EN ranges are narrower, so an EN heat normally meets both.

For Chinese pressure vessels the grade is ordered as GB/T 713.7 S23043 pressure vessel plate. JIS SUS323L and the GB grade share the wider ASTM-style ranges, so a heat made to them does not automatically meet EN 10088-2.

1.4362 vs 1.4404 and 1.4462

On 1.4362 vs 1.4404: the lean duplex has much less nickel (3.5 – 5.5 % against 10.0 – 13.0 %), little molybdenum, and almost twice the plate proof strength (400 against 220 MPa), which allows thinner walls in tanks and structures. Compared with EN 10088-2 1.4462 plate, it has less molybdenum and a lower proof strength (400 against 460 MPa).

Typical applications of 1.4362 plate and sheet listed in the Euro Inox fabrication tables include:

• Chemical industry equipment
• Biogas digesters
• Load-bearing building components
• Storage tanks where higher strength allows thinner walls
• Structural parts where 1.4404 is replaced for strength

For pressure equipment, 1.4362 plate is ordered to EN 10028-7; for other uses, EN 10088-2 applies.

The IMOA guide lists upper temperature limits for 2304 in pressure codes of 315 °C (ASME) and 300 °C (TÜV, unwelded or welded with matching filler), because of 475 °C embrittlement.

For 1.4362 the main risks are confusing it with a molybdenum-bearing duplex, using it where chloride levels need 1.4462, and ASTM-only heats with chromium or nickel below the EN minimums.

None of these steps is complicated, but they need to be agreed at the start. When you send an enquiry, tell us which of these points matters most to you, and the order will be built around it.

Every 1.4362 order is supported by documents and checks that make the material traceable to the heat:

• Cast analysis with chromium, nickel, nitrogen, molybdenum and copper checked
• Tensile test (transverse) to Table 8
• Impact test for plate over 10 mm when agreed
• Intergranular corrosion test to EN ISO 3651-2 or ferrite content check when agreed
• Thickness, flatness and surface inspection
• Additional checks through our third-party testing service: PMI, dimensional, flatness and surface inspection

If the order does not name an inspection document, EN 10088-2 requires only a test report 2.2. Because this is rarely enough for tank, structural and biogas equipment or export work, SHH STEEL supplies an EN 10204 3.1 inspection certificate as standard and a 3.2 certificate when an independent inspector (TUV, ABS, BV, DNV, CCS or an agency you nominate) witnesses testing and countersigns the document.

Ordering example and lead time

Following the pattern of the example in EN 10088-2, a typical order line would read: 10 plates, 10 mm × 2 000 mm × 6 000 mm, EN ISO 18286, EN 10088-2, steel X2CrNiN23-4 (1.4362), process route 1D, inspection certificate 3.1 to EN 10204. Mill production lead time is generally 30 – 40 days from order confirmation, depending on the rolling schedule, the size and the tests requested. Consolidated small lots follow the same mill schedule, and we send progress updates at rolling, testing and packing.

• Mill relationships: long-term cooperation with Chinese stainless mills helps us secure competitive pricing and steadier delivery for 1.4362 and related duplex grades.
• Direct mill contracts: for larger tonnages you can contract directly with a suitable mill, for a modest service fee, while we handle follow-up and documents.
• Order consolidation: 1 – 5 t lots are combined so they can be placed against genuine mill production.
• Own workshop: slitting, cut-to-length, laser cutting, bending and protective film before shipment.
• Inspection and certificates: third-party inspection by TUV, ABS, BV, DNV, CCS or your nominated agency, with EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2 certificates.
• Flexible payment: TT, LC or a combination of both.
• Port logistics: coil and sheet are packed seaworthy with heat-number labels and shipped through our worldwide shipping service, together with other grades if needed.

As a 1.4362 plate supplier SHH STEEL also stocks and sources the wider range of stainless steel sheets and plates, so mixed orders of different stainless grades can travel in one container with one set of paperwork.

EN 10088-2 X2CrNiN23-4 1.4362 is the standard lean duplex grade of the 2304 type, with a plate proof strength of 400 MPa and little molybdenum, supplied as hot rolled plate up to 75 mm and as cold rolled sheet for tanks, structures and chemical equipment. Choosing it is the easy part. Getting genuine material that matches the certificate, in the gauge and finish your parts need and on a predictable schedule, is where a sourcing partner earns its place, and that is the work SHH STEEL does every day through long-term mill cooperation, consolidation and its own workshop.

The next step is simple. Send SHH STEEL your drawing, or an enquiry with the quantity, thickness, width, finish and delivery destination, and we will judge whether a direct mill contract or consolidation with processing fits your order better, and quote accordingly. Send your sizes and quantities for a quotation.