Speaker 1: Welcome to Brainstuff production of iHeart Radio, Hey brain Stuff
Speaker 1: Lauren Vogel Bomb Here. From bathroom sinks and kitchen appliances
Speaker 1: to New York's Chrysler building and the St. Louis Gateway arch.
Speaker 1: The world sometimes seems like it's covered in stainless steel,
Speaker 1: and why not. The material is not only sturdy and versatile,
Speaker 1: but also stainless, as the name implies. But is it
Speaker 1: really impossible to stain stainless steel? Stainless steel is a
Speaker 1: family of materials that gets its handle from corrosion and
Speaker 1: oxidation resistant properties that protect it from rust and unsightly blotches. Generally,
Speaker 1: these steels are a mixture of iron and at least
Speaker 1: ten point five percent chromium, sometimes rounded to eleven percent
Speaker 1: by engineers. When exposed to oxygen and moisture. For instance,
Speaker 1: when a stainless steel pan is nicked or dinged, chromium
Speaker 1: is an element that produces thin oxide film that coats
Speaker 1: the product. This self repairing feature of stainless steel ensures
Speaker 1: that the object will always look smooth and shiny. Various
Speaker 1: European and American metallurgists claimed to have invented this wondrous material.
Speaker 1: We do know that Croup Iron Works in Germany created
Speaker 1: an acid resistant steel as early as nineteen o eight,
Speaker 1: which was used for the hull of a yacht. Two
Speaker 1: other German researchers discovered the relationship between chromium content and
Speaker 1: corrosion resistance. That metal containing at least ten point five
Speaker 1: chromium had a greater resistance to corrosion. Meanwhile, American Elwood
Speaker 1: Haynes patented one type of stainless steel precursor in nineteen eleven.
Speaker 1: An English researcher Harry Brearley developed a similar material around
Speaker 1: the same time. After a four year dust up in
Speaker 1: which Haynes successfully opposed Brierly's attempt to patent his version
Speaker 1: of the steel, the two pooled resources to market their
Speaker 1: wares as the American Stainless Steel Company. These and other
Speaker 1: stainless metals found their way to cutlery, airplane parts, golf clubs,
Speaker 1: and other items almost immediately, but not all stainless steel
Speaker 1: is created equal. There are four main types of stainless steel,
Speaker 1: classified by structure and composition. The most common variety is astenatic.
Speaker 1: Of the stainless steel produced falls in this category. Astenetic
Speaker 1: steels can be found in products ranging from cutlery and
Speaker 1: cookware to automotive trim and industrial applications. The material contains
Speaker 1: at least sixteen percent chromium, no more than zero point
Speaker 1: one five percent carbon, and usually includes nickel or manganese
Speaker 1: for added durability. Meanwhile, for Riddic stainless steels contain up
Speaker 1: to twenty seven percent chromium, often as well as aluminum
Speaker 1: or titanium, but if little or no nickel, that means
Speaker 1: that while these materials are highly resistant to corrosion, they're
Speaker 1: less durable than their austenetic cousins. For Ridic steels are
Speaker 1: more affordable than austenetic varieties and are commonly used in flers,
Speaker 1: exhaust systems, kitchen counters, and sinks. Then we have martin
Speaker 1: zitic stainless steels, which are less corrosion resistant than the
Speaker 1: first two types, but are noted for their extreme strength
Speaker 1: and durability, and the material contains twelve to fourteen chromium
Speaker 1: along with small amounts of molybdenum and carbon. These steels
Speaker 1: also contain little to know nickel less than two percent
Speaker 1: Martin's that ex stainless steels are magnetic and are often
Speaker 1: used in products where this feature is useful like a
Speaker 1: kitchen back splash, to which a spice rack or other
Speaker 1: metal object can be attached without using fasteners. Finally, duplex
Speaker 1: stainless steels combine the benefits of austenite and ferrite to
Speaker 1: provide enhanced decay resistance and beefed up strength and durability.
Speaker 1: Metallurgists typically look to create a mix that's half austenitic
Speaker 1: and half fretic. The result is a material that features
Speaker 1: more chromium and less nickel than is found in pure
Speaker 1: austenitic steels, about twenty two to chromium and five percent nickel,
Speaker 1: as well as a high level of molybdenum. These steels
Speaker 1: are primarily used in chemical plants and piping applications. You
Speaker 1: may have noticed our use of the term resistant when
Speaker 1: referring to these stainless steel's capacity for avoiding blemishes. So
Speaker 1: is the material just stain resistant or completely stain proof?
Speaker 1: And despite the hearty protection that it affords users, stainless
Speaker 1: steel is more stain less than stainless. In other words,
Speaker 1: while the material is highly resistant to discoloration, blemishes, and
Speaker 1: other imperfections, it's not completely impenetrable. And just look at
Speaker 1: the Gateway Arch, which is starting to show its age
Speaker 1: with rust and k after five decades of welcoming tourists
Speaker 1: to St. Louis. The protective layer of film covering a
Speaker 1: stainless steel object can break down over time, leading to
Speaker 1: corrosion and pitting. In addition, compounds like chloride, hydrogen and
Speaker 1: hydrogen sulfide often cause the film to stress and crack.
Speaker 1: The level of rest resistance provided by a particular steel
Speaker 1: depends largely on the materials used to create it. The
Speaker 1: more chromium, the more corrosion protection. The sturdier. Stainless steels
Speaker 1: also feature at least eight percent nickel, which provides further
Speaker 1: defense against tarnish. Some products are tagged with numbers indicating
Speaker 1: their proportions of chromium and nickel. For instance, eighteen over
Speaker 1: ten flatwear is sold at a premium because it has
Speaker 1: eighteen percent chromium and ten percent nickel content, providing greater
Speaker 1: protection against corrosion than ordinary flatwear for household users. It's
Speaker 1: important to understand that many metals advertised as stainless steel
Speaker 1: are actually stainless steel plated. The plate is corrosion resistant,
Speaker 1: but is susceptible to damage if cut or scratched deep
Speaker 1: enough to reach the underlying material. Because the plates can
Speaker 1: also wear off over time, buyers should clarify whether a
Speaker 1: particular product is made completely of stainless steel or simply plated.
Speaker 1: Whether plated or not, your stainless steel appliances and other
Speaker 1: products need to be cleaned most of the time. Good
Speaker 1: old fashioned soap and water will do the trick. For
Speaker 1: tougher stains, Professionals recommend a variety of household remedies. A
Speaker 1: couple dabs of olive oil or window cleaner can remove
Speaker 1: most of those pesky fingerprints and smudges, while white or
Speaker 1: cider vinegar will restore shine. And don't use steel wool
Speaker 1: pads or harsh cleaning powders, as they'll scratch the surface.
Speaker 1: If you need to remove burnt on food from a
Speaker 1: stainless steel pan, let it soak in warm water and
Speaker 1: then clean it with baking soda and a gentle nylon
Speaker 1: or plant based scouring pad. Today's episode was written by
Speaker 1: Chris Opfer and produced by Tyler Clang. For more on
Speaker 1: this and lots of other shiny topics, visit how stuff
Speaker 1: works dot com. Brain Stuff is production of i Heeart
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