Abstract: The present invention provides a stainless steel being excellent in workability, corrosion resistance and antibacterial property. To be more specific, a stainless steel containing 10 wt % or more of Cr is rendered to contain 0.0001-1 wt % of Ag, or further one or more members selected from Sn: 0.0002-0.02 wt %, Zn: 0.0002-0.02 wt %, Pt: 0.0002-0.01 wt %, and, in addition, is rendered to dispersedly contain a total of 0.001 % or more in an area percentage of one or more members of a silver particle, a silver oxide and a silver sulphide each having a mean grain diameter of 500 &mgr;m or less. To disperse the silver particle, silver oxide and silver sulphide uniformly, the casting rate of continuous casting is preferably controlled to range from 0.8 to 1.6 m/min.

Abstract: The present invention provides a stainless steel having superior corrosion resistance, antibacterial properties, and durability, the antibacterial properties being maintained after surface treatments commonly performed including, for example, polishing. In particular, the stainless steel contains not less than 10 percent by weight of chromium, 0.001 to 0.30 percent by weight of silver, or further contains 0.001 to 1.0 percent by weight of vanadium. In addition, not less than 0.0005 weight percent of a silver oxide, the amount thereof being not more than 1.1 times that of the silver, is dispersed in the stainless steel. In order to homogeneously disperse the silver oxide in the stainless steel, when continuous casting of molten steel is performed, the casting rate for the continuous casting is preferably 0.8 to 1.6 m/min. A method for manufacturing the stainless steel is also disclosed.

Abstract: An excellent antibacterial property is afforded upon a metallic article by simple steps of coating a dispersion liquid or a solution of fine particles made of an antibacterial ingredient on the surface of the metallic article and pressing the resulting coated surface of the metallic article under a non-heated condition or rubbing the resulting coated surface of the metallic article. In addition, a conventional rolling step or the like can be used itself without any change in the above treatment, which is economically extremely advantageous. Furthermore, since the antibacterial metallic article according to the present invention is obtained under the non-heated condition, the antibacterial ingredient is not deteriorated. Further, since the antibacterial property is not lost through some abrasion, excellent antibacterial property can be exhibited over an extended time period. Further, there is no fear that surface characteristics of the metallic article, for example, a tone of color will change.