Hi and welcome to Metal Supermarkets, the Convenience Stores for Metal.
I'm Jason Jackson, Operations and Development Manager.
Stainless steel and aluminum, or aluminium in other parts of the world, are two metals that look very similar
but are very different.
So to help you with your next project
we'll take a look at the main differences
between stainless steel and aluminum.
Number 1: Strength.
Simply put, stainless steel is much
stronger than aluminum.
However, that leads to our second difference; strength to weight ratio.
While aluminum is typically not as strong as stainless steel
It has almost one third of the weight.
This is the main reason why aircraft are made from aluminium.
Aluminum is also becoming more popular in the auto industry to improve fuel efficiency
Number 3: Corrosion Resistance.
Stainless steel has excellent corrosion resistance for two reasons.
First, stainless steel has chromium added which forms an invisible corrosion resistant film around the steel.
Second, it is non-porous which increases the corrosion resistance.
Aluminum on the other hand has high oxidization and corrosion resistance but is still susceptible to both.
When aluminum oxidizes its surface will turn white and may pit
which is the forming of small holes on the surface due to the corrosion.
Number 4: Electrical conductivity.
Aluminum is a very good electrical conductor whereas stainless steel is very poor.
Due to its high conductivity, lightweight and corrosion resistance
high voltage overhead power lines are generally made of aluminum.
Some older homes even have aluminum wire as opposed to copper.
Number 5: Thermal conductivity.
Aluminum is also a far better conductor
of heat.
This is one of the main reasons it is used for car radiators and air-conditioning units. However...
...Stainless steel can be used at much higher temperatures than aluminum.
Depending on the applications it can be used in temperatures over 800 degrees.
Aluminum on the other hand can become very soft above 400 degrees.
Number 7: Workability.
Aluminum is fairly soft and easy to cut and form.
Stainless on the other hand be difficult to work with due to its resistance to wear and abrasion.
This makes it much harder to form.
Number 8: Welding.
Simply put stainless is relatively easy to weld
while aluminum can be quite difficult.
Number 9: Effect on foods.
Stainless steel is less reactive with foods.
Aluminum can have reactions that affect the food's color and flavor.
And finally, Number 10: Cost.
Typically aluminum is cheaper than stainless steel
which may be a determining factor on which metal you choose for your next project.
To get a quote on stainless or aluminum
visit one of our Metal Supermarkets locations
or metalsupermarkets.com.
Hopefully this has helped you understand
some of the key differences
between stainless steel and aluminum.
Metal Supermarkets is the world's largest supplier of small quantity metals,
carrying over 8,000 types, shapes and grades of metal, including stainless steel and aluminum,
cut to size and ready fast!
