Stainless Steel Development

Rareley applied for a U.S. patent in 1915 and introduced the world to stainless steel in an article published in the New York Times later that year.
Modern stainless steel also adds nickel to the mix. a ratio of 18% chromium to 8% nickel is the most common grade of stainless steel, usually shortened to 18-8 or 304 stainless steel.
However, Brearley was not the first discoverer of stainless steel. at the beginning of the 20th century, two French engineers, Guyot and Porouz, had already discovered that the metal was bright and corrosion-resistant after chromium was doped into the iron, and because they did not know at the time what this alloy could be used for, they recklessly threw it away.
In 1912, the United States of America, Hermes also made stainless steel. At the same time the German metallurgists Schuttler and Mauer also found in the smelting of chromium, nickel can be made into steel will not rust. Their discovery is almost with the British Brierley is standing on the same starting line, but on the observation of the strange phenomenon, they did not ask a why? But in the step into the scientific door to continue the research stopped before the footsteps, and thus with the first discovery of stainless steel honor laurels and to develop and utilize to obtain huge economic benefits rubbed shoulders.
Later scientists found that the reason why stainless steel can be so resistant to corrosion, because when it is exposed to the air, its surface of chromium on the formation of a layer of dense chromium trioxide, this layer of oxidized film is so thin, so it will not affect the smoothness of the surface of the metal and metal luster. This oxide film also does not continue to react with water and air, and when the surface layer is scratched, a new oxide film is quickly generated. Aluminum alloy is lighter than steel, also resistant to corrosion, but the surface of the oxide film is gray, not as bright as stainless steel. On the other hand, aluminum is softer, and chromium is the hardest metal, Mohs hardness up to 9, so it is not easy to wear. Although the cost of stainless steel is higher, but still widely used.