Austenitic stainless steel article having a passivated surface layer

摘要

An austenitic stainless steel article, preferably in the form of a tubing. The article has a passivated surface layer, which in the case of a tubing is on the interior surface of the tubing. The passivated surface layer has an oxide component having Fe2O3 and Cr2O3 and a metal component of Fe with zero valence and Cr with zero valence. The ratio of the oxide component to the metal component is in excess of 8:1.