Re: Stainless Steel

[Richard Bies <bies@domain.elided>]

 Some years ago, my kids noticed the varying magnetic property stainless
 steels.  So to enliven the dinner-table conversation, I inquired "how's
 that..." of a research ghuru at USSteel I knew.

 The answer is not simple -- the alloying to make the "stainless property
 moves the eutectoid (making it somewhat more likely that the materia  will
 crystalize in a non-magnetic state), but that ultimately the  heat-history
 will also determine whether or not the material is magnetic (the magnetic
 domains have formed).

 So the magnet test may not give the alloy fully accurately.

 (The eutectoid is a point [probably imaginary] in time/heat from which  the
 various forms may solidify -- what is played-with in tempering (and I
 imagine forming hi-strength body panels) and annealing -- depending on  how
 quickly the steel is coooled.)  The magic in steel.

 r.m.bies
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