Steels that resist corrosive attack from normal atmospheric exposure and contain a minimum of 10.5% Cr and 50% Fe are generally classified as stainless steels. Their special qualities lie in a chromium-rich oxide surface film that quickly regrows when damaged. This chapter discusses the classification, composition, properties, treatments, and applications of austenitic, ferritic, martensitic, duplex, precipitation-hardening, powder metallurgy, and cast stainless steels. It also reviews the history of stainless steels and provides information on alloy designation systems.

This chapter discusses the composition and classification of stainless steels and focuses on the processes involved in heat treatment and applications of these steels. The wrought and the cast stainless steels covered are ferritic, austenitic, duplex (ferritic-austenitic), martensitic, and precipitation-hardening. In addition, information on special considerations for stainless steel castings is also provided. The heat treatment processes explained in the chapter are preheating, annealing, stress relieving, hardening, tempering, austenite conditioning, heat aging, and nitride surface hardening. Finally, some special considerations for stainless steel castings are discussed.

This chapter describes the definitions, designation, chemical composition, room-temperature properties, elevated-temperature properties, and corrosion resistance of cast high alloy steels and stainless steels. In addition, the corrosion resistance of cast corrosion-resistant alloys is also covered.

This appendix features images from the front and back covers and inside the covers of the book The History of Stainless Steel .

This chapter describes the physical properties of steels used for castings. The properties covered include density, modulus of elasticity, Poisson's ratio, shear modulus, thermal expansion, thermal conductivity, specific heat, thermal diffusivity, electrical resistivity, and magnetic properties.

This chapter discusses the factors influencing the corrosion resistance of bulk materials, namely alloying, metallurgical factors, and mechanical treatments.

This chapter defines low-temperature and cryogenic steels and describes their alloy classifications and their ambient and low-temperature properties. These steels include ferritic carbon and low alloy steels, martensitic low alloy steels, martensitic high alloy steels, and austenitic high alloy steels.