Stainless Steel

also: inox steel, inox.

A steel alloy with a minimum of 10,5% chromium content by mass. There are more than 150 grades of stainless steel, some systems of grading steel.

It is used when properties of steel and corrosion resistance are required. It forms an inert film of chromium oxide on its surface. This layer prevents further corrosion by blocking oxygen diffusion to the steel surface.

It is used for surgical implants such as bone reinforcements and replacements (e.g. hip sockets and cranial plates), in special alloys formulated to resist corrosion, mechanical wear, and biological reactions in vivo. It has been used in early dental implants.

Stainless steel is generally considered to be biologically inert, but some sensitive individuals develop a skin irritation due to a nickel allergy caused by certain alloys.