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The Powerful Properties of Stainless Steel

January 21st, 2016 by Natalie Mueller

Filed under: Stainless Steel


At Skolnik Industries, we offer a variety of stainless steel drums; in different sizes, with different closures and linings and tailored for our customers’ unique needs. Why do we offer so many different customizations of stainless steel drums? Because it’s a material greatly suited for many different uses.

By definition, stainless steel is a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5% chromium content by mass. Now, we’ve talked about the unique chromium composition of stainless steel in the past, but what properties make stainless steel the powerful material it is today?

Oxidization Resistance

Chromium forms a passive protective layer when exposed to oxygen. This layer is invisible to the naked eye, but protects the metal from damage from water and air and even a degree of corrosion. The higher the chromium content, the stronger the oxidation resistance.

Acid Resistance

Stainless steel is highly resistant to acids. Obviously, this depends on the concentration of the acid and a few other variables such as the environmental temperature and the grade of stainless steel, but the natural resistance of stainless steel to acid attacks make it a strong candidate for the transport of hazardous materials.

Base Resistance

Many grades of stainless steel (the entire 300 series) are unaffected by weak bases, no matter the temperature or concentration.

Organic Resistance

Under the right conditions, specific grades of stainless steel are useful for storing and handling organics such as acetic acid, aldehydes and amines, cellulose acetate, and fats and fatty acids.

Low conductivity and magnetism

Like it’s brother, steel, stainless steel is a poor conductor of electricity and only very specific stainless steels are magnetic.
So there you have it, the primary properties of stainless steel are a recipe for a diverse array of possible uses. It’s no wonder it’s one of the most popular materials in a number of industries and one of the most common materials for Skolnik drums.