Question

Identify the type of defect from following in stainless steel.

Options

• Substitutional impurity defect

• Interstitial impurity defect

• Metal excess defect

• Frenkel defect

Answer 1

Interstitial impurity defect

Explanation:

Stainless steel is an alloy of Fe (iron) + C (carbon). Since carbon atoms are much smaller than iron atoms, they fit into the empty spaces (interstices) between iron atoms in the lattice, without replacing them. This is called an Interstitial Impurity Defect.