Common Misconceptions and Precautions

"Stainless steel never rusts":Incorrect.Stainless steel can rust (e.g., through pitting corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, intergranular corrosion) in highly corrosive environments, with poor maintenance, when its surface is contaminated (e.g., by carbon steel dust or salt), or if the passive film is damaged and cannot self-repair in the specific environment.

"All stainless steel is non-magnetic":Incorrect.Only austenitic stainless steels (in the solution-annealed condition) are weakly magnetic or non-magnetic. Ferritic, martensitic, and duplex stainless steels are magnetic.

"All stainless steels are the same":Incorrect.The properties vary significantly between different grades. Using the cost-effective ferritic grade 430 for a kitchen sink, for instance, offers far inferior corrosion resistance compared to grades like 304 or 316 and is prone to rusting.

Maintenance:Proper use, cleaning, and maintenance are crucial. Avoid prolonged contact with strong acids or alkalis (e.g., soaking in bleach solutions), prevent surface scratches from hard objects, dry surfaces after cleaning, and avoid long-term exposure to highly corrosive substances (exercise particular caution with chlorine-containing disinfectants). Surface oil and stains should be cleaned promptly.

Avoid Contact with Carbon Steel:During manufacturing, transportation, and installation, prevent contamination of the stainless steel surface by carbon steel (e.g., using unclean tools like hammers or steel wire brushes previously used on carbon steel). Failure to do so can lead to accelerated corrosion at the contact points due to galvanic corrosion (bimetallic corrosion).