Harry Brearley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harry Brearley
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| Born | 18 February 1871 Sheffield, England
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| Died | 14 July 1948 (aged 77) |
| Nationality | English |
| Occupation | Metallurgist, inventor |
| Known for | The invention of stainless steel |
Harry Brearley (18 February 1871 – 14 July 1948) was an English metallurgist, credited with the invention of "rustless steel" (later to be called "stainless steel" in the anglophone world). Based in Sheffield, his invention brought affordable cutlery to the masses, and saw an expansion of the city's traditional cutlery trade.
Life
Harry Brearley was born on February 18, 1871, in Sheffield, England, to John and Jane Brearley. He left school at the age of twelve to work as a laborer in a steelworks, eventually becoming a general assistant in the chemical lab. He married Helen Theresa Crank on October 23, 1895.
Brearley dedicated years to studying steel production and chemical analysis both at home and in evening classes. By his early thirties, he had established himself as a skilled metallurgist. In 1908, he was appointed to lead a research project at Brown Firth Laboratories, funded by two major Sheffield steel companies.
After his time at Brown Firth, Brearley joined Brown Bayley Steel Works in Sheffield and became a director in 1925. In 1941, he founded The Freshgate Trust Foundation to provide educational and cultural opportunities for those from modest backgrounds. The foundation continues to operate today.
Brearley passed away on July 14, 1948, in Torquay and was cremated shortly after.
Stainless steel
In the troubled years immediately before the First World War, arms manufacturing increased significantly in the UK, but practical problems were encountered due to erosion (excessive wear) of the internal surfaces of gun barrels. Brearley began to research new steels which could better resist the erosion caused by high temperatures (rather than corrosion, as is often mentioned in this regard). He began to examine the addition of chromium to steel, which was known to raise the material's melting point, as compared to the standard carbon steels.
The research concentrated on quantifying the effects of varying the levels of carbon (C, at concentrations around 0.2 weight %) and chromium (Cr, in the range of 6 to 15 weight %).
The accidental discovery
To study the microstructure of the experimental alloys, which affects a steel's mechanical properties, it was necessary to polish and etch the metal samples. For carbon steel, a diluted solution of nitric acid in alcohol works well for etching. However, Brearley discovered that the new chromium steels were very resistant to chemical etching.
Before Brearley's work, carbon-steel knives rusted easily unless polished frequently, and only expensive silver cutlery was available to avoid rust. Brearley tested his new steel with food acids like vinegar and lemon juice, yielding promising results.
He initially named his invention "rustless steel," but Ernest Stuart from a local cutlery company suggested the more appealing name "stainless steel." On August 13, 1913, Brearley produced what is considered the first true stainless steel, a ferrous alloy with 0.24% carbon and 12.8% chromium. He received the Bessemer Gold Medal from the Iron and Steel Institute in 1920.
Research on stainless steel was paused during World War I but resumed in the 1920s. Brearley left Brown Firth Laboratories in 1915 due to disagreements over patent rights. His successor, Dr. W.H. Hatfield, later developed an alloy known as "18/8 stainless steel," which includes nickel and remains widely used today.
Memorials
A 42 feet (13 m) mural of Brearley, marking the 100th anniversary of his invention of stainless steel, was commissioned for the side of a building on Howard Street, Sheffield, and was painted by the artist Sarah Yates (aka "Faunagraphic").
Books
- H. Brearley & F. Ibbotson (1902) The Analysis of Steel-works Materials
- H. Brearley (1911) The Heat Treatment of Tool Steel
- H. Brearley (1914) The Case-Hardening of Steel
- H. Brearley (1918) The Heat Treatment of Steel
- H. Brearley (1933) Steel Makers
- H. Brearley (1941) Knotted String (autobiography)
See also
In Spanish: Harry Brearley para niños
- List of people from Sheffield
- Elwood Haynes
- Portland Works
