Question

Explain impurity defect in stainless steel with diagram.

Answer 1

The impurity defect found in stainless steel is interstitial impurity defect. In interstitial impurity defect, the impurity of cation is present in the interstitional position and make crystal defected. Stainless steel is an alloy of Iron and $4\%$ Chromium mixed with it. Stainless steel typically contains about $1\%$ Carbon, $1-5\%$ Manganese, $0.05\%$ Phosphorous, $1-3\%$ Silicon, $5\%-10\%$ Nickel and $15\%-20\%$ Chromium. Carbon is a second-period element that is non-metallic and much smaller tha iron. Carbon will therefore tend to occupy interstitial sites in the iron lattice.