Stainless steel surface coatings has also influenced its use in commercial kitchens and food processing plants. Stainless steels do not suffer uniform corrosion, like carbon steel, when exposed to wet environments. Unprotected carbon steel rusts readily when exposed to the combination of air and moisture. The resulting iron oxide surface layer (the rust) is porous and fragile. Since iron oxide occupies a larger volume than the original steel this layer expands and tends to flake and fall away exposing the underlying steel to further attack. In comparison, stainless steels contain sufficient chromium to undergo passivation, spontaneously forming a microscopically thin inert surface
Corrugated stainless steel tubing and FAC tubing does not have a plastic sheath. On FAC tubing the corrugations are visible. CSST’s plastic sheath covers its corrugations. CSST is used as an alternative to the older standard “black iron” (steel) gas pipe. The inner stainless steel layer of typical residential CSST is .2 to .3 mm thick while the wall thickness of typical residential “black iron” gas pipe is 3 to 4 mm thick. CSST is more expensive than “black iron” gas pipe. However, CSST requires fewer joints, may be safer during earthquakes, and may be easier to install. CSST is alleged to have an