What Are the Properties of Stainless Steel Wire
What Are the Properties of Stainless Steel Wire?
Stainless steel is a prevalent substance. The "stainless" label means that the steel has chromium mixed in with it. Steel itself is an alloy of iron and carbon. This gives the newly alloyed steel different properties. The chromium gives the steel a measure of resistance to corrosion greater than normal steel. Stainless steel also has greater-than-normal physical properties such as hardness, yield strength and ductility.
Ductility
Ductility is a measure of how much weight a wire can hold before it breaks. It quantitatively describes the amount of stretching the wire can do before it fractures. Knowing this aids in not 't overloading a wire. A more ductile metal is preferable for wire. Stainless steel is very ductile.
Yield Strength
When a wire is overloaded, there is a moment when the atomic bonds begin to stretch but the material is able to return to its original shape. This is called elastic deformation. After applying more load, the wire bends even more and begins to deform permanently. This type of deformation is called plastic deformation.
Once a wire starts plastic deformation, it loses some of its strength and is easier to deform. This yield strength measures the amount of force it takes to get to the plastic deformation. If greater load than the yield strength measurement is added, the wire loses its integrity. Stainless steel wire has a high yield strength in comparison to most metals.
Hardness
Steel wire often is made as hard as possible while retaining its ductility. The steel is made harder to resist cutting and fraying, which are the primary ways that a wire fails. Hardness is tested through a direct application of a hard indenter and a known force. Stainless steel can be made to have a high hardness.
Corrosion Resistance
Different amounts of chromium and differing creation processes can make wire grades that have different resistances. This is the primary reason to add chromium, and is responsible for stainless steel's name.
