Stainless steel is not a single material but the name for a family of corrosion resistant steels. Like many scientific discoveries the origins of stainless steel lies in a serendipitous accident. In 1913 Sheffield, England, Harry Brearley was investigating the development of new steel alloys for use in gun barrels. He noticed that some of his samples didn’t rust and were difficult to etch. These alloys contained around 13% chromium.The first application of these steels was in cutlery for which Sheffield subsequently became world famous. Simultaneous work in France led to the development of the first austenitic stainless steels.

Various Stainless Steel Products available at Jain Steels Corporation are :

 

Annual Demand of Stainless Steel

Worldwide demand for stainless steel is increasing at a rate of about 5% per annum. Annual consumption is now well over 20 million tonnes and is rising in areas such as the construction industry and household appliances. New uses are being continuously found for the attractive appearance, corrosion resistance, low maintenance and strength of stainless steel. Stainless steel is more expensive than standard grades of steel but it has greater resistance to corrosion, needs low maintenance and has no need for painting or other protective coatings. These factors mean stainless steel can be more economically viable once service life and life-cycle costs are considered.

Properties of Stainless Steels

The advantageous properties of stainless steel can be seen when compared to standard plain carbon mild steel. Although stainless steel have a broad range of properties, in general, when compared with mild steel, stainless steel have:

Higher corrosion resistance
Higher cryogenic toughness
Higher work hardening rate
Higher hot strength
Higher ductility
Higher strength and hardness
A more attractive appearance
Lower maintenance