Iron is an element and is the base metal (about 65% to 75% weight percent) in stainless steel.

Steel is technically an alloy of Carbon and Iron. (Usually less than 1% C or it is called cast iron).

Stainless steel, as the name suggests, is steel that is not easy to rust. It should be noted here that it is not easy to rust, nor is it impossible to rust. However, objectively speaking, stainless steel is not easy to rust or corrode. There is a protective film on the surface of stainless steel, that is, chromium-rich oxide film. Due to the existence of this kind of film, stainless steel has the property of not being prone to rust and corrosion.

Research surface: As the chromium content in steel increases, the corrosion resistance of steel in weak media such as the atmosphere, water and oxidizing media such as nitric acid increases. When the chromium content reaches a certain percentage, the corrosion resistance of steel changes drastically, that is, from easy to rust to hard to rust, from no corrosion resistance to corrosion resistance.

Stainless Steels are LOW in C content and are made stainless by adding Chroium in weight percentages of ~15%-22% and sometimes up to 9% or 10% Nickel. The most common stainless steels are 18–8 meaning 18% Cr, 8% Ni, 70% Fe and the balance are Mn, Mo, small amounts of C some Si (more Si if used in casting for fluidity) occasionally W, Ti, N or B.

Stainless steel has many properties that make it more preferable to iron. The obvious one is that it is corrosion-resistant (notice I said corrosion-resistant; there are certain situations where stainless steel can still corrode, particularly in an oxygen-free environment).

Edited by stainless steel pipe fittings supplier, KAYSUNS.