To prevent forms of corrosion such as pitting and crevice corrosion, in construction and architecture it is very important to choose the right stainless steel.
Stainless steel and corrosion resistance
The common characteristic of all types of stainless steel (austenitic, ferritic, martensitic and austenitic-ferritic) is the resistance to corrosion. How can they be immune from attacks by aggressive agents? Thanks to the self-passivation process, which creates an invisible film of chromium oxide on the surface of the steel that allows to protect itself from the external environment. This process is spontaneous and, if the protective film is damaged, it re-triggers itself automatically to restore it.
Chromium: the secret of stainless steel
According to EN 10020 standards, stainless steels, to be considered as such, must contain a minimum of 10.5% chromium. So theoretically, the greater the chromium content, the greater the resistance to corrosion of the alloy. For example, stainless steel AISI 304 has an average of 18% chromium.
Types of stainless steel. What to use in construction and architecture?
What are the most frequently used families of stainless steel in contruction and architecture?
- Austenitic stainless steels:
– About Chromium 18% + Nickel 8%;
– Great cold plastic deformation;
– Fair machinability;
– Not hardenable (but with hardness and tensile characteristics considerably increased);
– Non-magnetic.
- Ferritic stainless steels:
– About Chromium 17%;
– Good mechanical characteristics (upgradeable with cold-hardening);
– Easily workable for plastic deformation and chip removal;
– Good weldability;
– Ferromagnetic.
- Austenitic-ferritic stainless steels:
– Dual-array structure (austenite and ferrite);
– High yield strength and breaking load;
– Excellent corrosion resistance;
– Ferromagnetic.
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