stainless steel are widely used due to their higher resistan

Stainless steel are widely used due to their higher resistance to corrosion. Discuss in detail, one of the (potential) applications that utilizes stainless steel as its main component. The scope of discussion should covers one or a combination of the selection criteria that you know. [10 marks]

Solution

Surgery and dentistry

Surgical tools and medical equipment are usually made of stainless steel, because of its durability and ability to be sterilized in an autoclave. In addition, surgical implants such as bone reinforcements and replacements (e.g. hip sockets and cranial plates) are made with special alloys formulated to resist corrosion and mechanical wear .

Stainless steel is used in a variety of applications in dentistry. It is common to use stainless steel in many instruments that need to be sterilized, such as needles, endodontic files in root canal therapy, metal posts in root canal–treated teeth, temporary crowns and crowns for deciduous teeth, and arch wires and brackets in orthodontics. The surgical stainless steel alloys (e.g., 316 low-carbon steel) have also been used in some of the early dental implants.