A Closer Look at Stainless Steel Sustainability

A Closer Look at Stainless Steel Sustainability

Sustainability has become a serious concern in almost every sector, construction, and metal work among them. Thanks to stainless steel’s sustainability, this alloy is one of the best choices if you’re looking for a material that is corrosion-resistant, hardwearing, and fully recyclable.

Let’s take a closer look at what makes this metal a sustainability star and why you should buy quality stainless steel from Steel Plate & Sections.

An introduction to stainless steel

Before tackling the question, “Is stainless steel sustainable,” let’s find out more about this alloy. Also known as inox, stainless steel is an alloy of iron, at least 10.5% chromium, and sometimes elements such as molybdenum, nickel, and nitrogen.

Stainless steel’s corrosion resistance is thanks to its unique composition. When exposed to oxygen, the chromium in stainless steel forms a thin (5 nanometres) electrochemically passive oxide layer on the surface of the alloy. This self-healing layer gives the alloy its corrosion-resistant properties. Other properties of stainless steel include a beautiful appearance, durability, easy fabrication and formability, heat resistance, high tensile strength, low maintenance requirements, and recyclability.

Types of stainless steel

There are four distinct groups of stainless steel. These include:

Austenitic stainless steel: The most common group, austenitic stainless steel contains larger amounts of chromium, molybdenum, and nickel than other types of this alloy. This group is renowned for versatility, strength, and malleability.

Ferritic stainless steel: Ferritic stainless steels contain between 10.5% and 30% chromium, and they usually have a low carbon consistency of 0.1% or less. These magnetic alloys are known for their resistance to stress corrosion cracking and temperature oxidation.

Martensitic stainless steel: Martensitic stainless steels have a similar structure to the ferritic group, but with a higher carbon content (as much as 1.2%). These steels can be hardened significantly. They are often used to produce surgical instruments and other medical tools.

Duplex stainless steel: Duplex stainless steel combines the austenitic and the ferritic groups. As a result, this alloy is stronger than both of those groups, which can lead to significant weight reductions. Duplex stainless steels are known for superior corrosion resistance, making it the best choice for marine applications.

Is stainless steel sustainable?

It’s time to take a closer look at the question, “Is stainless steel sustainable?” The short answer is, yes, all groups of this alloy are sustainable. Stainless steel produced by more earth-friendly methods is known as green stainless steel.

Why is stainless steel so environmentally friendly?

There are several reasons why stainless steel is so environmentally friendly. The most important of these stainless steel sustainability factors are:

Stainless steel is produced using raw materials which do not require numerous complicated manufacturing stages that consume large quantities of fuel.
Chemicals are not used in the stainless steel production process, so there’s no chemical waste to dispose of.
Stainless steel is fully recyclable and we ensure we recycle as much of our offcuts and waste as possible.
While stainless steel can take between 100 and 1,000 years to fully disintegrate, the process does not release any toxins into the environment.
Stainless steel degrades into its constituent elements, which can be beneficial to soil.

FAQs

Is stainless steel recyclable?

Yes, stainless steel is fully recyclable. The alloy can be recycled numerous times without losing any of its properties.

Is stainless steel more sustainable than plastic?

Stainless steel is more sustainable than plastic. The alloy can be recycled and reused indefinitely, and more than 80% of stainless steel products are recycled at the end of their lifespan. In contrast, approximately 9% of plastic items are recycled. Plastic is also less sustainable due to the energy-intensive production process and the associated greenhouse gas emissions.

Is stainless steel more sustainable than aluminium?

Stainless steel and aluminium are similarly sustainable. Aluminium’s lighter weight, excellent corrosion resistance, low thermal conductivity, and 100% recyclability count in its favour as an eco-friendly choice.

High quality sustainable stainless steel

Along with all the alloy’s other desirable properties, stainless steel’s sustainability makes it an ideal choice for an incredible range of applications. This popular alloy offers you strength, durability, and versatility at cost-effective prices while helping you to make the world a greener place. Find high quality stainless steel online at SPS.

Posted by Oli Rudling
10th November 2023

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