Patent ID: 8518234

Claim:
A method for making a ferritic stainless steel article having an oxidation resistant surface, the method comprising: providing a ferritic stainless steel comprising 0.2 to 1.0 weight percent aluminum, 16 to less than 30 weight percent chromium, and at least one rare earth metal selected from the group consisting of cerium, lanthanum, and praseodymium, wherein the total weight of rare earth metals is from 0.02 to 1.0 weight percent; and electropolishing at least one exposed surface of the ferritic stainless steel, so that, when subjected to an oxidizing atmosphere at high temperature, the exposed electropolished surface develops an electrically conductive, aluminum-rich, oxidation resistant oxide scale comprising chromium and iron and having a hematite structure differing from Fe 2 O 3 , alpha Cr 2 O 3 , and alpha Al 2 O 3 .