17-4PH vs 301: 41% composition overlap. Significantly different materials serving different application areas.
17-4PH vs 301
Side-by-side chemical composition and mechanical property comparison.
Overview
17-4PH
1.4542
The most widely used precipitation-hardening stainless steel. Combines high strength (up to 1310 MPa UTS) with corrosion resistance comparable to 304. Delivered solution-annealed and hardened by simple low-temperature aging. Used in aerospace, medical, oil & gas, and nuclear applications.
301
1.4310
Austenitic stainless steel with the highest work-hardening rate of all 300-series grades. Lower Cr and Ni (17/7 vs 18/9 for 304) makes it metastable — cold working induces martensite transformation for extreme strength (UTS >1300 MPa in full-hard temper). THE stainless spring steel. Used for stainless springs, washers, clips, structural components requiring high strength + corrosion resistance, and railway car bodies.
| 17-4PH | 301 | |
|---|---|---|
| Material Number | 1.4542 | 1.4310 |
| Category | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel |
| Standard | EN 10088-3 | EN 10088-2 |
Chemical composition (wt%)
| Element | 17-4PH | 301 | Overlap |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 0–0.07% | 0.05–0.15% | Partial |
| Si | 0–0.7% | 0–2% | OK |
| Mn | 0–1.5% | 0–2% | OK |
| P | 0–0.04% | 0–0.045% | OK |
Mechanical properties
| Property | 17-4PH | 301 | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| tensile_strength | ≥ 1310 | 520–720 | MPa |
| yield_strength | ≥ 1170 | ≥ 205 | MPa |
| elongation | ≥ 10 | ≥ 45 | % |
Compatibility Assessment
17-4PH and 301 have significantly different compositions (41% overlap). These materials are not interchangeable and serve different application areas.
Automated assessment based on composition analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 17-4PH the same as 301?
17-4PH and 301 have a 41% composition overlap. They are generally not directly interchangeable.
Can I replace 17-4PH with 301?
Generally not recommended. The compositions differ significantly (41% overlap). These materials have different alloying concepts and are intended for different applications.
What is the difference between 17-4PH and 301?
The main differences are in the following elements: C, Cr, Ni. 17-4PH is a Stainless Steel grade, while 301 is a Stainless Steel grade.
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Data provided for reference only. Always verify against the applicable specification for critical applications.
All data is for reference only. Equivalents indicate similarity, not identity. Always verify against the applicable specification for safety-critical applications. materialref.com accepts no liability for decisions based on this data.