
Why Does Stainless Steel Rust? We understand its Causes and Solutions
Why does Stainless Steel rust?
We are a company with more than 20 years of experience. Since our inception we have served the pharmaceutical industry, restaurant, residences, hotels, hospitals among others. We cover the entire market of Puerto Rico and 4 other countries in America.
Stainless steel is an alloy made up of iron as the main raw material, and chromium in a 10%, it can also contain some minimum percentages of carbon, nickel or nitrogen to maximize all the properties that make it an excellent material for the manufacture of industrial elements. such as stainless steel tables, stainless steel kitchens and stainless steel tanks, among others.
Products made of stainless steel benefit from the properties of this metal, it has a passive oxidation layer or film that forms on stainless steel in the presence of ambient oxygen. This phenomenon is known as "passivation" and is possible thanks to the presence of a small percentage of chromium (between 10.5 and 12%, depending on the type of stainless steel), which makes this material the most resistant for stainless steel products. industrial use. Although it is difficult to find corrosion in stainless steel, it is possible depending on the conditions of use or maintenance and work to which it is exposed.
The benefits of stainless steel are obvious in any type of element made with this alloy.
Products built with stainless steel have a series of advantageous characteristics in the following aspects:
Moisture resistant. Clearly, if a material bears the adjective "stainless" in its name, it is to be expected that it is extremely immune to the attack of oxidation. This is an expectation that stainless steel fully meets: it is virtually invulnerable, since its passivation layer is activated upon contact with oxygen, preventing its deterioration.
Resistant to oxidation by organic elements: It not only repels the damage that moisture can cause. It is also resistant to organic materials that have a stronger oxidizing effect. Let's think, for example, of milk, or lemon, or natural secretions.
Resistant to extreme temperatures (both hot and cold): Stainless steel can just as well be used in a refrigerator as it is in a busy restaurant kitchen. Its molecular structure allows it to maintain its physical properties in the face of extreme cold (it does not become brittle) or in the face of extreme heat (it does not deform).
Excellent conductor of heat: There's a reason good kitchen gadgets like pots, pans, and baking sheets are made from stainless steel: it heats up easily and transfers the heat it receives evenly.
Versatile: Despite being hard and strong, stainless steel can be cut relatively easily. Furthermore, depending on the type of stainless steel, it has a considerably high degree of weldability. It can, likewise, be bent and given the shape that is required, according to the purpose for which it is intended.
Durable: Stainless steel is one of the few materials that can be left outdoors with the assurance that it does not deteriorate easily. A structure made with this element has the implicit guarantee that it will remain there for a long time.
Impact resistant: Unlike other types of steel (such as galvanized) or iron, stainless steel has a particularly high hardness. It can be used in jobs where you work with humidity and are exposed to sudden shocks.
Hygienic: Being stainless, and being a material resistant to high temperatures, it can be cleaned and exposed to extreme heat to sterilize it completely. For this reason, it is a highly appreciated material in the health and food sector.
Aesthetic: It is very pleasant to see a material that, despite the passage of time and weather conditions, remains unchanged and without any sign of deterioration. The metallic color that chrome gives it is visually attractive, which makes stainless steel ideal for the manufacture of doors, frames, windows, railings, etc.
Given its great versatility, this type of steel lends itself to an amazing number of uses. It is easily adaptable for the most dissimilar jobs, showing an exceptional quality for all of them that hardly any other type of material could meet.
In the construction
Mainly for the design of gates, facades, railings, and window frames, it is ideal. It can be exposed to inclement weather, both humidity and direct sun. But its application is not reduced to this.
Given its aesthetic characteristics, it can be used in cladding facades, thus offering a sensation of impressive hardness, gloss and durability.
Indoors, where humidity is always present, such as in the kitchen and bathroom, it turns out to be a highly desirable material. Think, for example, of tables, chairs, or railings and frames for sliding doors.
In the pharmaceutical and health sector
The development of health activities requires a highly hygienized environment. The counters, the trays, the instruments that are usually used in a hospital must always stand out for their level of asepsis. That is why this material, due to its characteristics, offers highly appreciated properties in such spaces.
in food preparation
As mentioned above, organic elements tend to deteriorate the elements with which they come into contact. Stainless steel is very resistant to such deterioration, which is why it is desired in the food industry. Conveyor belts, storage tanks, kitchen implements, counters are made of this material.
In the industry
Many of the products offered by the industry are designed for rough use in everyday life. That is why they appeal to the use of stainless steel for the manufacture of the most varied implements. It is highly appreciated in the manufacture of pipes, intended for the conduction of highly corrosive elements.
At Perez Precision Works we have 20 years of experience in handling steel. We are benchmarks in the metalworking industry. We manufacture the stainless steel product you need. You can safely trust us with your project.
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