What is Stainless Steel ?

Stainless steel is a steel alloy with increased corrosion resistance compared to carbon/alloy steel.

Stainless steel is an iron alloy that has a minimum Chromium content of 10.5 per cent. The Chromium 

content produces a thin chromium oxide film on the steel’s surface called a passivation layer. This layer 

prevents corrosion from occurring on the steel surface; the greater the amount of Chromium in the steel, 

the greater the corrosion resistance.

The steel also contains varied amounts of other elements such as Carbon, Silicon and Manganese. 

Other elements can be added to increase corrosion resistance (Nickel) and formability (Molybdenum).

Applications include food handling/processing, medical instruments, hardware, appliances, and 

structural/architectural uses.

General Properties of Stainless Steel

Aesthetics

Stainless steel has a great variety of surface finishes, from matt to bright and including brushed and 

engraved. It can be embossed or tinted, making stainless a unique and aesthetic material. It is often 

used by architects for building envelopes, interior design and street furniture.

Mechanical Properties

Compared to other materials, stainless steel has strong mechanical properties at ambient temperatures

 – it is steel after all! In particular, it combines ductility, elasticity and hardness, enabling it to be used in 

difficult metal forming modes (deep stamping, flat bending, extrusion, etc.) while offering resistance to 

heavy wear (friction, abrasion, impact, elasticity, etc.). Furthermore, it offers good mechanical behaviour 

at both low and high temperatures.

Resistance to Fire

Stainless steel has the best fire resistance of all metallic materials when used in structural applications, 

having a critical temperature above 800°C. Stainless steel is ranked A2s1d0 for fire resistance with no 

toxic fume emissivity.

Corrosion Resistance

With a minimum chromium content of 10.5%, stainless steel is continuously protected by a passive layer 

of chromium oxide that forms naturally on the surface through the reaction of the chromium with oxygen 

from air or water. If the surface is scratched, it regenerates itself. This particularity give stainless steels 

their corrosion resistance.

Cleanability

Stainless steel items are easy to clean, usual cleaning products (detergents, soap powders) are sufficient 

and do not damage the surface. Stainless steel fully meets the requirements of decoration and cooking 

utensils that require frequent and effective washing.

Recycling

Stainless steel is the “green material” par excellence and is infinitely recyclable. Within the construction 

sector, its actual recovery rate is close to 100%. It is environmentally neutral and inert when in contact 

with elements such as water and it does not leach compounds that might modify their composition. 

These qualities make stainless steel ideally suited to building applications exposed to adverse weather, 

such as roofs, facades, rainwater recovery systems and domestic water pipes. Stainless steel’s longevity 

fulfils the requirements of sustainable construction, and effective erection, installation and low maintenance 

guarantee the user an unrivalled service life.