Description

Types of stainless steel
This crystal structure makes such steels non-magnetic and less brittle at low temperatures. For higher hardness and strength, carbon is added. When subjected to adequate heat treatment these steels are used as razor blades, cutlery, tools etc.

What is stainless steel?
Significant quantities of manganese have been used in many stainless steel compositions. Manganese preserves an austenitic structure in the steel as does nickel, but at a lower cost.

The term "stainless steel" is a bit of a misnomer. There's no one combination of iron and alloying elements that makes stainless steel what it is. Instead, stainless steel refers to the fact that products made from it do not rust.
Stainless steels generally contain between ****0% chromium as the main alloying element and are valued for high corrosion resistance. Other alloys in stainless steels can include manganese, silicon, nickel and molybdenum. These alloys work together to interact with oxygen in water and air to quickly form a thin but strong film over the steel that prevents further corrosion.

Naturally, stainless steel pipe is used in any industry where corrosion protection is necessary. While stainless steel pipe is essentially alloy pipe by another name, it is not well suited for extreme service unless it's been appropriately heat treated to increase strength and impact resistance.

Due to its aesthetic appeal, stainless steel is often chosen if pipe must be visible in public or professional settings.

Stainless steels can be divided into three groups based on their crystalline structure:

Austenitic - Austenitic steels are non-magnetic and non heat-treatable, and generally contain *8% chromium, 8% nickel and less than 0.8% carbon. Austenitic steels form the largest portion of the global stainless steel market and are often used in food processing equipment, kitchen utensils, and piping.

Ferritic - Ferritic steels contain trace amounts of nickel, ****7% chromium, less than 0.1% carbon, along with other alloying elements, such as molybdenum, aluminum or titanium. These magnetic steels cannot be hardened by heat treatment but can be strengthened by cold working.

Martensitic - Martensitic steels contain ****7% chromium, less than 0.4% nickel, and up to 1.2% carbon. These magnetic and heat-treatable steels are used in knives, cutting tools, as well as dental and surgical equipment.