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AISI 301 Stainless Steel Foil (Light Tight)
Available Configurations
Properties common to all products in this list
Key Features
AISI 301 Stainless Steel Foil (Light Tight) (UNS S30100) is a metastable austenitic stainless steel foil engineered for high mechanical performance and total optical impermeability through a pinhole-free surface:
Total Optical Impermeability
Manufactured to a pinhole-free surface, this foil achieves total optical impermeability, providing complete exclusion of external light required in hermetic optical barriers and protective enclosures.
High Tensile Strength with Retained Ductility
With 16-18% chromium and 6-8% nickel, the strain-hardening capability of AISI 301 allows high tensile strength to be achieved while retaining ductility — a combination valuable in light-tight barriers that must also withstand forming or installation stresses.
Corrosion Resistance Suited to Controlled Environments
Corrosion resistance well suited to controlled or moderately aggressive service environments supports reliable performance of this light-tight foil in aerospace and precision optics applications.
Dual Structural & Optical Barrier Function
This foil is engineered to act simultaneously as a structural element and an optical barrier, a dual-function capability required in precision diaphragms and protective enclosures where both mechanical and optical performance are essential.
Strain-Hardenable for Enhanced Barrier Strength
The strain-hardening response inherent to AISI 301 provides an additional strength margin in light-tight barrier applications, supporting structural roles beyond simple optical shielding.
Industrial Applications
AISI 301 Stainless Steel Foil (Light Tight) is used across aerospace, precision optics, and electronics sectors for protective enclosures and hermetic barriers requiring complete exclusion of external light:
- ✦ Optically Sealed Housings for Avionics Sensors
- Used in optically sealed housings for avionics sensors, where the pinhole-free structure ensures complete light exclusion and the foil's strain-hardened strength provides structural integrity for the sensor enclosure.
- ✦ Light-Blocking Thermal Wraps in Spaceborne Instruments
- Formed into light-blocking thermal wraps for spaceborne instruments, where corrosion resistance well suited to controlled service environments and the foil's dual structural-optical function support reliable performance in space applications.
- ✦ Precision Diaphragms in Photonic Measurement Devices
- Used in precision diaphragms for photonic measurement devices, where the foil must simultaneously act as a structural element and an optical barrier — a combination achieved through AISI 301's strain-hardening capability and pinhole-free surface.
- ✦ Protective Enclosures & Shielding Layers
- Applied in protective enclosures, shielding layers, and hermetic barriers in aerospace, precision optics, and electronics where complete exclusion of external light is essential alongside meaningful mechanical strength.
Material Properties
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Hardness - Brinell | 165 |
| Elongation at break( % ) | 60 |
| Modulus of elasticity( GPa ) | 190-210 |
| Izod impact strength( J m⁻¹ ) | 20-136 |
| Tensile strength( MPa ) | 550-1260 |
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Electrical resistivity( µOhmcm ) | 70-72 |
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Melting point( C ) | 1400-1420 |
| Thermal conductivity( W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ ) | 16.3@23°C |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion( x10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ ) | 18@20-100°C |
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Density( gcm⁻³ ) | 7.9 |
Tolerances
| Thickness | <0.01mm | ±25% |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 0.01mm - 0.05mm | ±15% |
| Thickness | >0.05mm | ±10% |
| Linear dimension | <100mm | ±1mm |
| Linear dimension | >=100mm | +2 / -1% |