Stainless steel is a compound alloy. It is steel that contains a minimum of 11 percent chromium. The chromium creates a passive film which prevents oxidization corrosion – otherwise known as rust. Stainless steel is used in all sorts of projects. It is highly likely that there is an object made of stainless steel in your line of sight right now. Here is a quick guide to some of the most prevalent uses of the chromium infused stainless metal alloy.
Construction Materials
Stainless steel is a favorite of the construction industry. Corrosion is, of course hugely damaging to the longevity of a construction project. Tools also need to be highly corrosion resistance if they are to be useful for a long time and economically viable for companies to purchase. Many fixings, nails and screws are also made of stainless steel. Stainless nails have become especially popular in modern carpentry as they can be used with all kinds of wood without risking the possibility of warping materials due to corrosion.
Surgical Equipment
Stainless steel is the metal of choice in the production of surgical equipment. This is due to how consistently it can be sterilized and how hostile an environment it is for bacteria. Scalpels and surgical tools are almost all made of stainless steel. Implants and pins that are inserted into the human body are also usually made of stainless steel. Human bodies contain many chemicals that have the potential to affect metals. Stainless metal is less likely to be rejected from a new host body or corrode within a patient.
Food Preparation Areas
Stainless steel is very useful in commercial cooking environments. This is because it is incredibly solid on a molecular level, which prevents bacteria from sticking to and cultivating on surfaces. It is also very easy to clean – an obvious advantage over wood in commercial cookery settings.
Aircraft Parts
As you can imagine, aircraft engineers are very wary of corrosion. Any structural weakness caused by corrosion can prove deadly when the machine in question is hurtling through the sky. Heavy corrosion has led to fatal accidents in the past – including one in Canada during 2019. Many aircraft use stainless steel in their wing roots and landing gear in order to prevent corrosion. High performance aircraft are usually built using composites of different metals designed to expand and contract in favorable ways during high-speed flight.
Small Boats
Although stainless steel might seem like an obvious choice for making large seagoing vessels it is actually typically used in small quantities in massive ships. This is because corrosion resistance is actually less important than structural strength in large ships make of thick metal sheets. Stainless steel is, however, used plentifully in the construction of small patrol vessels and commercial flatbed boats. Stainless steel is very resistant to corrosion and does not require high powered water jets to clean, making boats constructed using the metal perfect for civilian customers that do not have the means to regularly maintain their vessels.
