Stainless steel is a versatile material used in various industries due to its resistance to corrosion and extreme pH variations. Its unique properties come from at least 10% chromium in its composition. The steel is produced in an electric arc furnace and can be manipulated into various shapes and colors. There are at least 60 grades of stainless steel classified by their microstructure.
Stainless steel has been touted for its ubiquitous practical uses, making an appearance in architectural, automotive, kitchen, household, and industrial manufacturing applications. It contains a high resistance to corrosion resulting from a range of atmospheric conditions and extreme pH variations, making it low maintenance. Its ability to withstand high temperatures in both directions, high pressure and at the same time be malleable and ductile makes stainless steel the ideal material for making durable and highly used products. Even after its useful life, this material is easy to recycle and has a high waste value.
This metal attributes its unique properties to chrome metal. By nature, stainless steel is a low carbon steel that includes at least ten percent chromium by weight in its composition. This is what is responsible for its stainless property. Chromium oxide forms a film undetectable to the naked eye on the steel surface, which is flexible and self-healing in the presence of oxygen gas.
The stainless steel itself is produced in an electric arc furnace. Inside the furnace, carbon electrodes positioned to contact the scrap steel pass through the blast currents. Scrap steel doesn’t just have to be mixed with chromium. Other elements can be added to improve the steel, including nickel, nitrogen and molybdenum. All of this electrode-induced activity takes place in a very high temperature environment.
Upon reaching the critical melting point, the steel scrap and alloys begin to mix until a homogeneous metallic melt is achieved. The entire mass is then transferred to an argon oxygen decarbonization (AOD) vessel where deoxygenation takes place. After that, casting or forging can be done. Because of its malleable and ductile capabilities, metal can be manipulated into a variety of shapes and forms, or drawn into wire.
As a final touch, an electrochemical process can treat the steel in different colors, some of which are gold, bronze, green, blue and black. Another optional finishing touch is the immersion of the product in an acid bath, which removes any fouling on the stainless steel for a better polished appearance and easy cleaning after use.
There are at least sixty grades of stainless steel, classified by the alloying elements of its microstructure. Within these grades are three main types of stainless steel namely martenistic, ferritic and austenitic. These main types differ according to the degree of magnetism, the percentage of chromium and the proportion of the other elements.
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