5 Reasons Why Stainless Steel Is Rust Free?

Author: Karan Gupta

In everyday life, stainless steel has become an essential material. Stainless steel's strength, corrosive resistance, low maintenance properties, long life cycle and high recyclability make it the most desirable material for a wide variety of industrial and non-industrial applications. There are several types of stainless steel and they are ideally suited for applications even having high moisture exposure environments. Stainless steel property of high ductility gives it resistance to seismic pressures as well. It has ushered in a new era in industry and architecture because of the incredible corrosion resistance of this metal. Builders and designers now produce all sorts of structures and are no longer afraid that when exposed to moisture, the metal will succumb to corrosion. Even for maritime and other harsh conditions, such stainless-steel alloys are appropriate.

People sometimes equate rust with some sort of corrosion, but the fact is that true rust only happens with iron and iron-bearing materials. This is since, by definition, rust is iron oxide. Red oxide is the result of iron, oxygen, and water reaction taking place. Also moisture in the air may be sufficient to corrode iron. Over time, in the presence of oxygen and water, iron will eventually be converted entirely into rust until it disintegrates completely. This is due to the fact that the surface of the iron oxide is extremely flaky and offers the underlying iron no protection. While the quickest to corrode is pure iron, most iron-containing metals will eventually succumb to rust. The chemical mechanism of rusting begins with water molecules entering the iron's surface. The metal might appear to be solid, but its microscopic cracks leave it exposed.

The presence of chromium as an alloying agent characterizes stainless steel. There would be at least 10.5 percent chromium and just 1.5 percent carbon in standard stainless steel. The inclusion of chromium and other alloying agents effectively eliminates the rusting of carbon steel that typically happens.

Stainless steel is commonly thought to be impervious to its surroundings in a way that standard steel is not, but the fact is that alloying agents constantly communicate around the metal with the environment. It is this reaction that ultimately protects the rusting of the metal. In stainless steel, alloying agents, such as chromium are combined with oxygen in water or air to create a thin but stable metal oxide film. On the surface of the metal, this film forms a protective coating which prevents it from more noticeable and harmful corrosion, such as rust. It does so by forming a membrane that avoids the contact of oxygen and water with the metal's iron content. The film is so small that it can't even interfere with the wavelengths of light, and it is usually only visible with the assistance of modern instruments. This suggests that the metal retains its aesthetically appealing look and gives it the feeling that it is stainless. The exposed inner layer can easily react with the air or water to create a new protective layer when the surface is scratched or affected in some way, and the protective layer is not something that has been inserted but is simply a function of the metal itself.

So stainless steel is self-repairing in this manner!

Although corrosion safety is offered by some kind of stainless steel, each alloy has its own set of special properties. It is important to know which alloy is right for your application. It is getting harder to keep track of all of them due to the growing variety of the many stainless steels on the market.

One of the leading names of the most superior quality stainless steel product manufacturer is Viraj. Viraj Profiles specialises in stainless steel flanges, stainless steel wire rods, stainless steel fasteners, stainless steel profiles, stainless steel bright bars and many more in various grades and sizes. Viraj facilities have the most advanced, state-of-the-art machines with in-house lab testing which ensures flawless quality of stainless steel. Their stainless-steel products are approved with more than 90 certifications from regulators all over the world.

The article clearly mentions the properties and quality of stainless steel that makes it rust-free. So don’t make the wrong decision of buying some other metal because of the cheap price. Longer life is the most important aspect of any solid structure.