What makes stainless steel stainless?

What makes stainless steel stainless?

     Stainless steel is one of the common metals with different applications in many fields. Its many features make it ideal for this use. Such as anti-rust, anti-fouling. Stainless steel is made by accident by adding chromium to iron. It has other advantages over other metals and alloys, such as steel. Here, you'll learn about the features of these three, their relationships, and their differences.

iron

     Iron is a hard and ductile metal with a chrome color. It has an atomic number of 26 and is classified as a ferromagnetic metal. Ferromagnetism is a state exhibited by certain metals that allows them to act as magnets and attract other metals.

    Iron is obtained mainly from its ore hematite. We have different types of iron depending on the extraction and purification process. Pig iron is the least pure form of iron. Pig iron can also be made into other kinds of iron, such as cast iron and wrought iron. The difference between the three is based on the percentage of carbon content. Wrought iron is the purest of the three.

steel

    Steel is also made of cast iron. However, unlike iron, the three types discussed below, steel is an alloy (a mixture of different elements). Iron is a natural element that combines with carbon to make steel. Steel contains about 2.14% carbon, which is why it has better strength and durability than iron.

Stainless steel

    Unlike what most people know, stainless steel is not a single entity. Rather, it is a single broad entity that encompasses many things. Stainless steel is an alloy containing at least 11 percent chromium. Because of this composition, stainless steel does not rust and is heat resistant. Depending on the type of stainless steel, you can have other elements such as carbon (0.03-1.00%), nitrogen, silicon, sulfur, niobium, and molybdenum.