Choose carbon steel or stainless steel fasteners?

Steel is an alloy made out of iron and carbon. The carbon percentage can vary depending on the grade – it’s mostly between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight. Though carbon is the main alloy material for iron, some other elements such as tungsten, chromium, and manganese can also be used to determine the hardness, ductility and tensile strength of steel. Heat treatment is a process which changes the mechanical properties of steels. This will affect the ductility, hardness and electrical and thermal properties of steel.

Stainless steel is different from other steel alloys because it doesn’t corrode or rust. Stainless steel is different from carbon steel due to the amount of chromium present. It contains minimum 10.5% to 11% chromium amount by mass, forming a chromium oxide layer which is inert. This is the reason for non-corrosive, anti-rusting attributes of stainless steel. Other than this, it has the  basic properties of steel, as mentioned above.

Stainless steel is easy to fabricate and has a pleasing, aesthetic appeal. These properties, coupled by the fact that stainless steel has hygienic properties, makes it popular for consumer products and items that are used in food preparation and healthcare such as cookware and appliances, as well as, surgical instruments and hospital equipment.