There is scarcely a material in existence that has found its way to so many
applications as stainless steel. Developed in the early part of the 20th
century, stainless steel is an exceptional choice for today’s sanitary
applications and corrosive environments.
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Stainless steel is the generic name for a number of different
steels used primarily because of their corrosion resistance. All stainless
steels share a minimum percentage of 10.5% chromium. Chromium is always the
deciding factor, although other elements, particularly nickel and molybdenum,
are added to improve corrosion resistance.
The success of the material is based on the fact that it has one unique
advantage.
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The chromium in the stainless steel has a great affinity for oxygen, and will
form a film of chromium oxide on the surface of the steel at a molecular level.
This layer is described as:
• Passive (does not react or influence other materials, that is, it will
not rust),
• Tenacious (clings to the layer of steel and is not transferred
elsewhere), and
• Self-renewing (if damaged, more chromium from the steel will be exposed
to the air and form more chromium oxide, i.e., self-healing).
| In many cases stainless steel is the most cost efficient
solution because of enhanced life cycle costs. Stainless steel has a
significantly longer service life and requires less maintenance than other
materials. Moreover, stainless steel is fully recyclable and has a high scrap
value on de-commissioning. |
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