Also known as Inox steel or inox, stainless steel is an alloy of steel, with a minimum of 11% chromium content by mass. It is better than steel in that it does not corrode (or stain) in water, like steel does. It is used where properties of steel and corrosion resistance are required simultaneously. It contains enough amount of chromium, which on reacting with atmospheric oxygen, forms a passive layer of chromium oxide. This layer prevents further diffusion of oxygen, thus preventing corrosion. Further, stainless steels show almost no deflection in the presence of magnetic fields. As the name suggests, they are highly malleable, and ductile.

 

Due to this large range of properties, stainless steel finds its application in almost every industry, the most demanding being chemical processing and oil industry. They are used in desalination plants, sewage tanks, ship propellers and harbor supports.