Stainless steel facts for kids

The very high, stainless steel arch called the Gateway Arch is a part of St. Louis, Missouri's skyline.

Stainless steel, also known as inox steel, is a special type of steel. It's a mix of different metals, mainly steel and at least 10.5% chromium. This mix is called an alloy.

The best thing about stainless steel is that it doesn't corrode (get damaged by chemicals), rust, or stain as easily as regular steel. It's not completely stain-proof, but it's much better!

Sometimes, if a steel mix has a little less chromium (for example, in the aviation industry), it's called 'corrosion resistant steel'.

What Makes Stainless Steel Special?

Stainless steel is very good at resisting oxidation (which causes rust) and corrosion. This means it holds up well in many different places, both natural and man-made.

• There are many kinds of stainless steel.
• Each kind has different amounts of metals mixed in.
• This makes them useful for different jobs.
• There are over 150 types, but only about fifteen are used most often.

How Was Stainless Steel Discovered?

The idea for stainless steel first came up in the early 1800s. But it took about 80 years to figure out how to make it properly in factories.

• Inventors from France, Britain, and America all worked on this.
• The modern stainless steel we know today was truly invented in 1913.
• It was created by a man named Harry Brearley.
• He worked in Sheffield, a city in Yorkshire, England.

One very common use for stainless steel is cutlery. This means knives, forks, and spoons. Making stainless steel cutlery was a huge business in Sheffield in the middle of the 20th century.

Images for kids

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  Stainless steel is used for industrial equipment when it is important that the equipment lasts and can be kept clean.

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  An announcement from 1915 in The New York Times about the new stainless steel from Sheffield, England.

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  A monument to Harry Brearley in Sheffield, England.

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  Stainless steel (bottom row) resists salt-water corrosion better than other metals.

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  The nut on the left is rusty because it's not stainless steel, unlike the one on the right.

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  This is 316L stainless steel, which has an unpolished, factory finish.

See also

In Spanish: Acero inoxidable para niños