colored, harder, tougher stainless steel
Metals and Alloys
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The process of anodization and its early applications in aviation through to modern day consumer electronics
Richard Storer-Adam explains how metals are altered through anodizing and the anti-corrosive benefits and coloring options this process provides to product manufacturers.
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The applications of Cor-Ten steel – from its beginnings in the US railroad industry to the worlds of art and architecture
Richard Storer-Adam runs through how this weathering steel alloy quickly moved beyond transport uses to give a distinct, rusted look to some iconic buildings and sculptures.
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Nickel (Ni) – part of a series on metals commonly alloyed with stainless steel to form varying grades of material.
Nickel is an element, and it has an atomic weight of 58.6934. Nickel sits in the periodic table between cobalt and copper – atomic number 28. It is a beautiful color being mainly silvery-white with gold tones. A piece of the chemical element nickel (Ni). Nickel is resistant to corrosion and is used pre-eminently as…
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Chromium (Cr) – The discovery of chromium, its origins and wide-ranging industrial and aesthetic applications
Metals added to stainless steel include Chromium (Cr). Chromium is an element – atomic number 24 – and it has an atomic weight of 51.9961. Chromium sits in the periodic table between the metals vanadium and manganese and possesses a beautiful and appealing color, being a mainly lustrous silvery-white. Shown here are high purity chromium…
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Titanium (Ti) – a brief history of the origins and commercial applications of titanium
Titanium is a chemical element (Ti) – atomic number 22 – and it has an atomic weight of 47.867. On the periodic table, titanium sits between manganese and cobalt, possessing a beautiful pale silver color. Titanium is a lustrous silver metal with the highest strength-to-density ratio of any metallic element. Photograph by Alchemist-hp The discovery…
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The Acid Etching process on stainless steel and other metals.
An explanation of the truly ancient art of engraving, etching and intaglios on copper, mild steel, aluminium, brass and stainless steel by Richard Storer-Adam.
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An introduction to hard-anodised aluminium coatings, their advantages and environmental implications for architectural cladding
An introduction to hard-anodised aluminium coatings, their advantages and environmental implications for architectural cladding. Grosvenor Waterside, Chelsea by MAKE architects with artist Clare Woods. This aluminium rainscreen cladding includes over 5300 anodised panels and a shotpeened design. Façade by UK Façades Ltd. What is anodised aluminium? Anodising is a common, stable and cost-efficient electrochemical process.…
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All that Glitters – a comparison between goldplating and gold PVD for jewellery
A comparison between Goldplating and Gold PVD for jewellery. How to make Gold If you are a manufacturer of jewellery, there are several different options available to enable you to achieve a gold look for your products. If you are producing rings, chains or even watches the two of the most common ways to get…
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The history of case-hardening and its processes
Describing the various processes of case-hardening. Case-hardening is a metal surface process also referred to as surface hardening. It is an ancient technology that goes back to approximately 1400BC. The origins of case-hardening Around 1400 BC, hardening methods began to appear in armouries around the world. It was well known that the sharpness and hardness…
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Why and how do we electroplate? The transformation of goods made from base metals into higher-value commodities using precious metals
A look at the pros and cons of electroplating Why do we electroplate? Tragically there is no such thing as alchemy or magic when it comes to metals. If we could use alchemy, we would all be driving around in 24k gold cars. Whom amongst us would not want the ability to change common, low-value…
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Stainless steel goes stellar – a discussion on stainless steel in space, space-travel, Mars, the Moon and metal.
A discussion on space-travel, Mars, the Moon and Metal. Commercial space travel The year 2019 will see Earth’s first commercial, privately owned and funded spaceships blasting out of our fragile atmosphere. Not quite the science fact that science fiction predicted for us, but we are marching towards it every day. I am owed a jetpack…
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The story of gold and gold leaf – how was gold formed, its decorative value and the 5000- year old process of gilding.
A round up of some interesting facts about this fascinating metal. In the beginning there was Gold Gold is such a remarkable material, firstly it was created in the resultant blast of energy due to the collision of two neutron stars. This monumental collision produces enormous amounts of heavy elements including gold. The gold is…
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A review of artist Robert Bruno’s sculptural Steel House, Lubbock, Texas
Richard Storer-Adam reviews the philosophy behind the organic steel sculpture built from weathering steel, nowadays known as corten steel, that has strikingly rusted both outside and inside, and that became a house over a period of 33 years.
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Stainless steel interior and exterior cladding
Richard Storer-Adam investigates the use of stainless steel as cladding used decoratively for interiors and exteriors of buildings, including the famous Frank Gehry New York skyscraper, with a focus on its durability, aesthetic qualities and technical performance.
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The rise and fall in popularity of the copper alloys, brass and bronze, in art and architecture from 3500 BC to the twentieth century
Richard Storer-Adam looks at these wonder metals, both alloys of copper and tin, that last the ages and how they compare to each other in practical and artistic use.