Carbon Steel

Is an iron base alloy containing carbon, manganese and other alloying elements. Its
properties mainly depend on amount of carbon. Is not regarded as corrosion or
oxidation resistant above 538 deg. C.

Low Carbon steel contains : 0.08 ~ 0.30 % Carbon

Medium Carbon steel contains : 0.30 ~ 0.83 % Carbon
High Carbon steel contains : 0.85 ~ 1.50 % Carbon

Chemical Composition

Carbon : Range - 0.08 ~ 1.04 wt %

Most important alloying single element in the steel. Above certain
limits hot or cold work is not practical.
As carbon increases
+ Strength increases
+ Hardness and hardenability increases
+ Toughness decreases
+ Ductility decreases

Manganese : Range - 0.50 ~ 2.00 wt %

Deoxidizes the melt (steel)
Improves hot working
Increases strength
Increases hardenability
Improves machinability

Silicon : Range - 0.10 ~ 2.50 wt %

+ <1.0 wt % : usual
+ 1.5 ~ 2.5 wt % : increases hardenability
+ 1.15 ~1.65 wt % : improves oxidation and corrosion but
difficult to process
Principal deoxidizer
Increases strength slightly but no loss in ductility

Phosphorus : 0.04 wt % max

Contaminations
Degrades steel

Sulfur ; 0.05 wt % max

Contaminations
Degrades steel

Chromium : 0.5 wt % ~ 9.0 wt %

Used in low alloy steel
Increase resistance to corrosion and oxidation
Increase high temperature strength
Increase hardenability
Molybdenum :0.15 wt % ~ 1.0 wt %
Increases hardenability
Minimizes temper embrittlement in chrome steel
Increases high temperature tensile
Increases creep strength in steel

Nickel : 1.0 wt % ~ 4.0 wt %

Improves toughness of steel in low temperature
Strengthens ferrite
Increases resistance of steel to cracking and distortion during
quenching
Combined with Cr and Mo, improves strength, hardenability and
toughness

Copper : 0.2 wt % ~ 0.5 wt %

Improve resistance to atmospheric corrosion

Titanium : Scavenge oxygen and nitrogen in Boron steel

Increases effectiveness of Boron in increasing hardenability
Combines with carbon in stainless steel (stabilize)

Niobium : Formerly known as Columbium

Lowers transition temperature and increases strength of low alloy steel
Imparts fine grain size
Retards tempering
Increases steel strength at elevated temperature
Decreases hardenability
Combines with carbon to prevent sensitization and intergranular
corrosion in 18 ~ 8 stainless steel
Used in stabilized stainless steel electrodes for welding both Ti and Nb
stainless steel