Ji-wan Nam

Global Economic News

THE South Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) under the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that the results of Dr. Lee Chang-hoon’s team in the steel materials research lab were listed in TOP 100 materials selected by "Scientific Reports."

Dr. Lee’s research team was recognized for developing the world’s first lightweight stainless steel, which is about 20 percent lighter than existing stainless steel.

In order to reduce the weight, the research team added 12 percent of aluminum, which is easily broken, while, they reduced brittleness of steels by optimizing the amount of alloy element, such as carbon, manganese, and chromium.

In particular, this material produces a thin oxide layer with chromium that enables to withstand corrosion.

KIMS said that this research can promote the development of steel technology by overcoming corrosion and weight, which are main disadvantages of existing steels.

“This achievement has set a new scientific and social example of steel technology,” said Lee Jung-hwan, director of KIMS.

International science journal "Scientific Report" selects and publishes the most downloaded papers in each field as the TOP 100 list every year.