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What is stainless steel covered in?

Mar. 07, 2024
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Stainless steel is 100% recyclable, easy to sterilize, and used in many applications. In fact, ordinary citizens interact with products made of stainless steel on a daily basis. Whether in the kitchen, on the road, at the doctor's office, or in a building, stainless steel is everywhere.

In this blog, I will cover some of this versatile metal's common traits, products, and applications.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STAINLESS AND REGULAR STEEL?

Unlike ordinary steel, stainless steel isn't prone to corrosion, rusting, or staining with exposure to water. But this isn't to say it's completely stain-proof. In areas with low oxygen, high salinity, or poor air circulation, stainless steel is vulnerable to staining.

Similar to ordinary steel, stainless steel is a poor conductor of electricity (especially when compared to a material such as copper with higher electrical conductivity).

WHAT ARE STAINLESS STEEL PRODUCTS AND APPLICATIONS?

Most often, stainless steel is used for applications requiring steel's unique properties and corrosion resistance. You will find this alloy milled into coils, sheets, plates, bars, wire, and tubing. Here are some examples of common stainless steel uses:

  • Culinary uses
  • Kitchen sinks
  • Cutlery
  • Cookware
  • Surgical tools and medical equipment
  • Hemostats
  • Surgical implants
  • Temporary crowns (dentistry)
  • Architecture (pictured above: Chrysler Building)
  • Bridges
  • Monuments and sculptures
  • Airport roofs
  • Automotive and aerospace applications
  • Auto bodies
  • Rail cars
  • Aircraft

IS STAINLESS STEEL CORROSION-RESISTANT?

Stainless steel in the 300 series is resistant to weaker bases like ammonium hydroxide - even in high concentrations and at high temperatures. However, these same steels, when exposed to stronger bases like sodium hydroxide, are vulnerable to etching and cracking. While stainless steel is often unaffected in damp or acidic environments, other metals in those environments often experience galvanic corrosion.

WHAT TYPE OF STAINLESS STEEL DOES MEAD METALS STOCK?

Mead Metals regularly carries Stainless Steel in AISI 301 and AISI 302/304 in sheet and coil. We may carry additional grades at any given time, so feel free to contact us if you require another grade of stainless steel.

301 STAINLESS STEEL TRAITS

AISI 301 is known to harden through the cold working process more quickly than other grades. It has excellent corrosion and heat resistance, and it is especially well-suited for applications requiring drawing, stamping, or forming.

302/304 STAINLESS STEEL TRAITS

AISI 302/304 is austenitic and known for delivering even greater corrosion and heat resistance than 301 stainless steel. It is ideal for applications that employ laser and etching processes. It is sometimes referred to as A2 stainless.

Stainless Steel Material Information

Stainless Steel is a metallic alloy having iron as the base metal with significant amount of chromium addition. The carbon content of this steel is usually low and can go to a maximum of 1.2% carbon. Chromium content can greatly vary but in order to be a stainless-steel, a minimum chromium content must be 11% or greater. Due to significant chromium content, chromium atoms are able to disperse throughout the matrix and protect the surface by forming a thin passive layer of chromium oxide (Cr2O3). This Cr2O3 layer is grown through passivation to increase the thickness of the passive layer so that superior properties can be obtained. 

Being passive in nature, stainless steel coatings are a preferred industrial choice for many parts, machines and equipment. It not only offers corrosion protection, but also increases the durability of the part. The passive oxide coating makes stainless steels immune to most oxidation attacks depending on the application of use and the environmental factors involved.

Selection Criteria

The selection criteria for stainless steel coatings is largely dependent on the application of use and the environmental factors associated with that application. Stainless steel coatings are an excellent and inexpensive choice when it comes to dry and oxygen accessible environments. In cases of high salinity and humidity, stainless steel coatings can be limiting. The addition of other alloying elements, such as molybdenum, to stainless steels can increase the corrosion resistance and improve protection against chloride environments and pitting attacks.

 Properties of Stainless-Steel Coatings

  • Good durability

  • Superior and uniform hardness

  • Excellent protection against wear assisted oxidation

  • Good corrosion resistance due to formation of passive Cr2O3 layer

  • Excellent oxidation resistance

  • Prevention from chemical attack

  • High bonding strength of thermal sprayed coating

  • Low porosity

  • Dense coating

Potential Benefits

  • Offers excellent oxidation resistance even at elevated temperatures.

  • Stainless steels coatings enhance the life span of the part by offering protection from environmental attacks

  • With Cr2O3 coatings, the repair duration is extended, and maintenance work is minimized.

  • Coating offers resistance against a variety of corrosion types i.e. cavitation damage, fretting, abrasion.

  • Coatings is inexpensive compared to other carbide coatings.

  • Coating is effective.

  • Coating technology is efficient and reliable.

  • Offers a good combination of mechanical and metallurgical properties.

Potential Risks

  • SS coatings are not always applicable for oxygen deficient environments as lack of oxygen hinders passive oxide layer formation.

  • Not suitable to environments having high salinity and humidity.

Uses and Applications

  • Stainless steel coatings find applications in several building and architectural structures including structural beams, fixtures, panels, railings, walk-ways, steel decking, doors and handles in interior and exterior settings for protection against corrosion, wear and UV attacks.

  • These coating are also used for embellishment of cheap jewellery items, watches and belt buckles.

  • SS coatings are also an important part of the automotive industry for auto body enhancement and protection. These coatings are used on various autobody parts e.g. spindles, arms, bumpers, suspensions, etc. They also add ease in the repair process as SS coating can be directly welded on without coating removal. The steel finish also adds a lustrous shine.
  • SS coatings have also been incorporated in the food processing industry. Being non-toxic, these coating have been used for years in food processing conveyors, machines, racks and other packaging equipment to increase service life.

What is stainless steel covered in?

Stainless Steel Protective Coating

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