Among stainless steels and alloys, these high-performance alloys provide superior functionality. Features include high corrosion resistance, heat resistance, high strength and other special features such as not being magnetizable. These alloys are used in harsh environments under tough conditions in advanced technology fields such as desalination, atomic power, semiconductors, solar cells and fuel cells.
Corrosion Resistant Alloys
Although standard stainless steels do not readily corrode, under harsh conditions, corrosion may lead to holes in the material. By adding optimal quantities of chromium, molybdenum, nickel and other alloying metals, we improve stainless steel to provide overall corrosion protection as well as improve resistance against grain boundary corrosion, pitting and crevice corrosion, and stress corrosion cracking. Stainless steels and nickel alloys with powerful corrosion resistance are used in harsh, corrosive environments such as found in desalination systems, marine structures, fuel cells and atomic power generation plans.
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Heat Resistant Alloys
In a high-temperature environment, materials face issues related to strength, oxidation and corrosion. Nickel is effective at improving high-temperature strength while chromium, silicon and aluminum provide protection against oxidation. Materials made from stainless steel with such elements mixed in are referred to as heat-resistant stainless steels. Other factors taken into account for high-temperature environments include creep strength and heat cycle fatigue. Heat-resistant stainless steels are used in heat exchangers, pressure containers and heat treatment furnace components.
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High Strength Stainless Steels
Techniques used to improve the strength of stainless steel include work hardening, solute strengthening and precipitation hardening. In the precipitation hardening process, stainless steel is mixed with aluminum and copper and heated to a specific temperature range, precipitating intermetallic compounds. One example of a precipitation hardened stainless steel is EN 1.4542 (17-4PH®). Solute strengthening involves mixing elements such as nitrogen in the stainless steel to improve the strength, and includes NAS NM15M. These products are used in environments where strength and corrosion resistance are required.
*17-4PH is a registered trademark of AK Steel Corporation.Nippon Yakin Grade
Controlled Expansion Alloys
Metals undergo dramatic expansion and contraction when the ambient temperature changes. The FeNi36 alloy NAS36 has a remarkably low coefficient of thermal expansion, one-tenth that of iron and one-twentieth that of aluminum. Controlled expansion alloys are used in applications requiring high definition and high precision such as semiconductor manufacturing equipment, inspection devices, flat panel display manufacturing equipment, precision molding dies for carbon fiber parts and astronomical telescopes. They are also used in bimetals made of low thermal expansion and high thermal expansion metals to convert temperature change into mechanical displacement.
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Soft Magnetic Alloys
Soft magnetic alloys minimize the energy loss that accompanies variance in a magnetic field. They are characterized by a low coercive field strength and high magnetic permeability. Applications include magnetic cores for transformers and inductors, magnetic yokes and magnetic shields.
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Non-Magnetic Alloys
Ordinary austenitic steel becomes magnetized when cold worked, but austenitic steel containing manganese does not pick up a magnetic charge even with intense cold working. NAS NM15M and NAS NM17 are non-magnetic stainless steels developed by Nippon Yakin Kogyo. They are used in mobile phones, metal accessories for clothes, electronic components and other parts where magnetism is not desired.
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Corrosion Resistant Pure Nickel
Because nickel provides superior resistance to corrosion caused by substances such as caustic soda and chlorine gas, it is used as a material in caustic soda manufacturing equipment using ion exchange membranes. Other applications include electronic terminal ports and high-capacity battery collectors due to nickel's low electrical resistance.
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Neutron Absorbing Stainless Steel
This classification of stainless steel has boron to absorb neutrons. Because of the corrosion resistance, high strength and ability to contain neutrons, such stainless steel is used in storage racks, transportation equipment and storage casks for used nuclear fuel rods.