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Steel is a type of metal that is very strong and durable. It is produced by alloying iron with carbon and other metals. Stainless steel is a type of steel that contains chromium, which helps protect against corrosion
Stainless steel is so named for the simple reason that it cannot be "colored." In other words, it is resistant to rust, unlike ordinary steel, which is called mild steel. The question is, how does stainless steel achieve this incredible feat?
What is rust?
Corrosion of iron causes the formation of a reddish-brown rough layer, which we call rust. Corrosion is simply the oxidation of a metal; when it reacts with oxygen, layers of metal oxides and hydroxides begin to form. Now, since oxygen is abundant in our environment, in air and water, metal easily corrodes when exposed to them. When iron does this, we call the resulting iron oxide layer "rust" and the process "rusting."
Iron corrosion is an electrochemical reaction, so the first layers of rust are only atoms thin, but prolonged exposure causes the layer to thicken and become increasingly noticeable, like the growth on a wrench or an old, abandoned car. Rust causes iron to lose its strength and durability, so eventually a corroded wrench becomes no more useful than a paperweight. Global annual losses due to rust are estimated at trillions of dollars, so it would be foolish not to find a way to stop it.
What is steel?
Two or more metals and nonmetals can be mixed or combined to form a composite that exhibits greater strength or durability than the individual elements possess. This amalgamation process to improve the properties of the metal is called alloying, and the resulting composite is called an alloy. Steel is an alloy, which is why you won't find it on the periodic table.
Iron is one of the most abundant metals on Earth, but in its pure form it is tragically weak. Its atoms are arranged in layers that will slide on top of each other at the slightest disturbance. This makes the iron extremely soft and therefore dangerous, say, for construction purposes. Iron is therefore alloyed with carbon to form mild steel. This composite is extremely strong and durable and remains the backbone of the industrialized world.
However, although carbon can make mild steel stronger and stronger than aluminum or unable to crack unlike carbon fiber due to the large amount of iron in it, it still shows poor corrosion resistance. Therefore, the structure is prone to deterioration if it regularly comes into contact with moisture or water. We need to alloy the mild steel with an element that prevents the corrosive reaction between the highly reactive oxygen and the helpless iron. Specifically, we need an element that reacts with oxygen before iron. This item is chrome.
What is stainless steel?
Stainless steel is not only an alloy of iron, carbon and chromium, but also includes manganese and in certain grades also nickel and molybdenum. Despite its bad reputation, the layer that forms corrosion is not necessarily harmful. When aluminum corrodes, the resulting layer of aluminum oxide protects it from further exposure to oxygen molecules and therefore prevents further corrosion! The same goes for chrome.
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Stainless steel contains up to 10% chromium, which reacts with the oxygen in the steel's environment to form a hard, thin layer that protects the steel from corrosion by preventing the oxygen from penetrating deeper and reacting with the iron in it. Although stainless steel is not as strong as other forms of steel, it is so resistant to rust that it can easily be used as a utensil or as a kitchen sink - items that are in constant contact with water. Additionally, chrome gives these items their signature polish or shine, making them structurally and visually rust-free!
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