Stainless steel
Stainless steel, also known as inox steel, is a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass.[1][2]
Stainless steel does not stain, corrode, or rust as easily as ordinary steel, but it is not stain-proof.[3]
The term 'corrosion resistant steel' is used when the alloy has less than the 12% minimum of chromium, for example in the aviation industry. There are different grades and surface finishes of stainless steel, depending on where it will used. Stainless steels have a higher resistance to oxidation (rust) and corrosion in many natural and man-made environments; however, it is important to select the correct type of stainless steel for the use. There are over 150 grades of stainless steel, of which fifteen are the most used.
The idea behind stainless steel was discovered in the first part of the 19th century, but it took about 80 years to develop a reliable industrial method. French, British and American inventors worked on this until a genuine stainless steel was produced. A common use of stainless steel is cutlery (knives, forks, and spoons). Stainless steel cutlery from Sheffield, Yorkshire, was a big industry in the mid-20th century.
[change] References
- ↑ "The stainless steel family". http://www.worldstainless.org/NR/rdonlyres/B2617D50-73AE-4FAB-BDCD-88ABD7891B97/4933/TheStainlessSteelFamily.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
- ↑ "Steel glossary". American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). http://www.steel.org/. Retrieved July 30, 2006.
- ↑ "Why is stainless steel stainless?". http://www.stainless-online.com/why-stainless-steel-stainless.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-20..
[change] Other websites
- Articles about stainless steel by International Stainless Steel Forum
- What is stainless steel by BSSA
- Euro Inox (multilingual portal)
- Comprehensive information about stainless steel by The Stainless Steel Information Center
- Comprehensive information about metallurgy of stainless steel by Cambridge University
- Life cycle costing of stainless steel
- Introduction to stainless steel by KOSA
