What elements in stainless steel make it difficult to rust?

Stainless steel is a metal material with excellent corrosion resistance, and its main components are iron, chromium, nickel and other elements. Among them, chromium is the key element to make stainless steel not easy to rust. In stainless steel, the content of chromium is generally above 10.5%, which can form a dense chromium oxide film to protect the surface of stainless steel from oxidation corrosion.

Corrosion resistance mechanism of stainless steel

The corrosion resistance mechanism of stainless steel is mainly due to the formation of a dense chromium oxide film on its surface. This chromium oxide film can prevent the corrosion of stainless steel by oxygen, water and other chemicals, thus protecting the smooth and beautiful surface of stainless steel. When the stainless steel surface is damaged, the chromium oxide film will repair itself to maintain the integrity of the stainless steel surface.

Manufacturing method of stainless steel

There are two main methods to make stainless steel: metallurgical method and electrolytic method.

Metallurgical method

Metallurgical method refers to adding iron, chromium, nickel and other elements into the furnace according to a certain proportion, smelting at high temperature, adjusting the composition, and making stainless steel plates, stainless steel pipes and other products through continuous casting, rolling and drawing.

electrolytic method

Electrolysis takes iron, chromium, nickel and other metal materials as the anode and stainless steel as the cathode to form a dense chromium oxide film on the surface of stainless steel, which makes stainless steel corrosion resistant.

Application field of stainless steel

Stainless steel has excellent corrosion resistance, high temperature strength and wear resistance, so it is widely used in aviation, aerospace, chemical industry, medical treatment, food processing, construction and other fields.

astrospace

The high temperature strength and corrosion resistance of stainless steel make it an important material in aerospace field. Stainless steel can be used to manufacture aero-engines, hydraulic systems, gas turbines, combustion chambers and other components.

chemical industry

Many equipments in the chemical field need to use stainless steel materials, such as pharmaceutical equipment, fertilizer equipment, petrochemical equipment and so on. The corrosion resistance of stainless steel can effectively protect the equipment from corrosion, thus prolonging the service life of the equipment.

medical treatment

Stainless steel is widely used in medical field, such as surgical instruments, implants and dental instruments. Stainless steel has excellent biocompatibility and corrosion resistance, which can effectively prevent surgical instruments and implants from being corroded by human fluids, thus ensuring the safety and reliability of medical instruments.

food processing

In the field of food processing, stainless steel is widely used to make food processing equipment, such as food cans, food conveying pipelines, food heating equipment and so on. Stainless steel has good hygiene and corrosion resistance, which can effectively ensure the safety and hygiene of food.

build

Stainless steel is also widely used in the construction field, such as stainless steel guardrail, stainless steel doors and windows, stainless steel curtain wall and so on. Stainless steel has excellent weather resistance and aesthetics, which can effectively improve the service life and aesthetics of buildings.