Plain carbon steels

Name Plain carbon steels Low carbon steels Medium carbon

steels
High carbon steels
Composition
Definition
Alt. names
Carbon is the alloying ele that
controls the prop
C - 1.5%
Cu - 0.6%
Mn 1.65%
Si 0.6%
Largest tonnage of all steels
produced
C < 0.25%
Also called Mild steels
0.25% < C < 0.6%
Austenized,
quenched and
tempered to
improve mech prop
C > 0.6%
Characteristics 1. Moderately priced
2. Ductile, readily formed
3. Can be made into
sheets, bars, rods,
wires etc.
1. Relatively soft and
weak
2. Cant be hardened
appreciably by heat
treatment methods
3. Good formability and
weldability
4. Strengthened by cold
working
5. High ductility and
toughness
6. Least expensive
7. Contains ferrite and
pearlite
1. Low
hardenability
2. High
strength
3. Low ductility
and
toughness

1. Hardest and
strongest
2. Least ductile
3. More wear
resistance
4. Capable of
holding
sharp edges
Applications Automobiles
Ball bearings, base
plates etc.
Automobile body
components
Structural shapes
Pipelines
Buildings and bridges
Railway
wheels and
tracks
Gears, crank
shafts etc.
Cutting
tools and
dies
Knives,
razors
Springs
High
strength
wires


Alloy steels
Name Low alloy steels High alloy steels
Composition
3% to 4% of one or more alloying elements
Also called Pearlitic alloy steels
Contains more than 5%of one or more alloying
elements

Characteristics
1. Similar microstructure as that of PCS and
requires similar heat treatment processes
2. Eutectoid pearlite structure
3. Alloying elements provide enhanced properties
4. They increase strength without loss in toughness
and increased hardenability
1. They have diff microstructure and
require diff heat treatments than that
of PCS
2. Austentic, martensitic or precipitated
carbides structures are possible
Types AISI HSLA Tool and die
steels
Stainless steels
1. American iron and steel
institute steels
2. Construction or structural
steels
3. They have less than 5% of
total addition of elements
4. Cr, Ni, Cu, Mn, Mo, V etc
5. Has very good hardenability

1. High
strength
low alloy
steels
2. Micro
alloyed
steels
3. Al, Nb
and V
1. High quality
alloys used
for tools and
dies
2. Hardenability
3. Wear
resistance
4. Resistance to
softening on
heating
1. Used for
improving
corrosion
resistance

Stainless steels
Name Austenitic SS Ferritic SS Martensitic SS
Composition
C - 0.03% to 0.15%
Mn 2% to 10%
Si - 1% to 2%
Cr 16% to 26%
Ni - 3.5% to 22%
C 0.08% to 0.10%
Mn 1% to 1.5%
Si 1%
Cr 12% to 25%
C 0.1% to 1.5%
Mn 1%
Si 1%
Cr 12% to 25%
Properties
1. Highest corrosion resistance
2. Good strength and scale
resistance at high temperatures
3. Non magnetic
4. Good ductility at 0C
5. Very tough and can be welded,
forged or rolled
1. Magnetic
2. Good ductility
3. Great strength,
toughness and good
resistance to corrosion
4. Can be welded, forged,
rolled and machined
1. Good hardness, ductility,
and thermal conductivity
2. Good toughness and
corrosion resistance

Short notes
Austenite structure at room
temperatures
Produced in greatest tonnage
Contains both Cr and Ni, the
tendency of Ni to reduce the
critical temp overrides the
opposite effect of Cr thus a
completely austenitic structure
is possible
C < 0.15% to minimize
formation of Cr carbides, as it
would decrease the corrosion
resistance
Carbide form when the metal
cools slowly form high temp
around 500 to 700C
The above temp is attained
during weld processes and
results in formation of carbides
and may lead to failure
This type of corrosion failure is
called weld decay. Titanium or
niobium is added to prevent this
Nitride particles improve
strength, hardness and wear
resistance

Ferritic structure all
temp till its melting
point
Cannot be heat treated
Can be strengthened
by work hardening
They contain 12 to 25 %
of Cr and 0.1 to 1.5% of C
The presence of carbon
restores the to gamma
transition
They can be heated to
austenitic temperatures
and will form martensite
upon cooling
Applications

Aircraft industry (engine parts)
Heat exchanger
Cooking utensils
Trailers and railway cars
Lining for petroleum
industries
Heating elements for
furnaces
Screws
Oil burner parts
Interior decoration
Pumps and valve parts
Rules and tapes
Turbine buckets
Surgical instruments


Other important alloy steels
Name Tool steels HSLA steels Maraging steels
Composition
C 0.10% to 1.60%
Mn 0.10% t0 0.60%
Si 0.10% to 1.20%
Cr 0.15% to 13%
Ni 0.10% to 0.50%
C 0.10 to 0.25%
Mn 0.50 to 1.25%
Si 0.10 to 0.30%
Cr 0.01%
V 0.01 to 0.02%
P 0.04%
S 0.05%
Cu 0.20%
C < 0.05%
Ni 18%
Co 7%
And small amounts of other elements
such as titanium
Properties
1. Good toughness
2. Good wear resistance
3. Very good machinability
4. Slight change of form
during hardening
5. Little risk of cracking
during hardening
6. Resistance to softening
and heating
7. Resistance to
decarburization
8. A definite hardening
temp
9. A definite cooling rate
during hardening
1. High yield strength
2. Can be welded without
becoming brittle
3. They are very light
4. High corrosion resistance
5. Ductile formable and
machinable

1. Very high tensile and impact
strength
2. Considerable toughness and
high strength is much
superior to constructional
steels
3. Suitable for surface
hardening and nitriding
4. Can be welded, if welding is
followed by full solution and
ageing treatment

Short notes
Used to make tools and
dies for cutting and
forming
Designed to provide
wear resistance and
toughness combined
with strength
Basically high carbon
alloys whos chemistry
provides wear resistance
High strength low alloy
steels or micro alloyed
steels
Reduces weight and
increases strength
Structural or
constructional alloy steels
They have twice the yield
strength against PCS
Low carbon and high alloyed
steels
Very high strength materials
Tensile strength upto
1900MPa can be obtained
The composition of these
steels forms martensite upon
cooling
and toughness as
required
0.20% Cu is added to
improve corrosion
resistance
Martensite formation in
weld zones is resisted by
adding ele like Mn, Si, V
etc.
Unlike martensite in other
steels this martensite is
ductile and tough.
The can be cold worked and
hardened by precipitation
below austenizing temp to
obtain high tensile strengths
Applications
Taps and drills
Dies
Hand chisels and cold
cutters
Milling cutters etc
Structural materials
Bridges, towers
Pressure vessels
Automobiles and trains.
Flexible drive shafts for
helicopters
Barrels for rapid firing guns
Space vehicle cases
Extrusion rams

Cast irons
Name Grey CI White CI Malleable CI Spheroidal
graphite
Composition
C 2.5 to 4%
Mn 0.4 to 1%
S 0.02 to 0.15%
Si 1 to 3%
P 0.15 to 1%
C 1.8 to 3%
Mn 0.25 to 0.8%
S 0.10 to 0.30%
Si 0.5 to 1.9%
P 0.05 to 0.2%
C 2 to 3%
Mn 0.2 to 0.6%
S 0.10%
Si 0.6 to 1.3%
P 0.15%

C 3.3 to 4%
Mn 0.2 to 0.5%
S 0.01% (max)
Si 1.8 to 3%
P 0.08% (max)
Microstructure
Graphite flakes,
look like a bunch
of potato chips
glued together
They are
normally
surrounded by
ferrite or
pearlite matrix
Fractured
surface appears
grey due to
graphite flakes
and hence the
name
Graphite flakes
do not have
appreciable
strength
They act as
crack initiating
sites which
Gets its name
because the
fracture have a
white or a
silvery
appearance
It has all its
carbon in the
form of
cementite in a
pearlite matrix
Since cementite
is formed by
quick cooling
white CI is very
hard and brittle
Used where
hardness and
wear resistance
is important
Heat treated to
obtain
sufficient
malleability
and ductility
It is produced
my heat
treating un
alloyed white
iron
During heat
treatment,
cementite
breaks down
into ferrite and
graphite
nodules.
These nodules
are also called
tempered
carbon and
Produced by
adding Mg and/or
cerium to molten
cast iron
Mg converts
graphite to flake
or nodular form
Resulting
structure is
spheroidal or
nodular CI
Presence of
spheroidal
graphite improves
ductility, strength,
fracture
toughness and
other mech prop
Addition of Mg
gives good results
and hence it is
widely used
makes grey iron
brittle
Shape size and
distribution of
the graphite
flakes have a
significant effect
on the overall
properties
Most white CI
are hypo
eutectic

appears like
pop corn
Ferritic
malleable CI :
its heated
beyond upper
critical
temperature
and held there
for a prolonged
time so that all
the cementite
turns into
graphite and
on cooling
through the
eutectoid
reaction ferritic
matrix if
formed
Pearlitic
malleable CI :
the white cast
iron is cooled
more rapidly
from the upper
critical
temperatures
such that the
carbon will not
be able to turn
into graphite
and will result
in a pearlitic
structure.
Characteristics
1. Excellent
compressive
strength, comp
strength is five
times its tensile
strength
2. Good torsional
and shear
strengths
3. Good corrosion
resistance
4. Excellent
fluidity. Hence,
1. Very hard and
brittle
2. High abrasion
resistance
3. High tensile and
low compressive
strength
4. It cant be
machined due to
its hardness
5. Can be casted in
sand moulds
1. Good ductility
and
malleability
2. High yield and
tensile strength
3. Not brittle
4. High youngs
modulus and
low co eff of
thermal
expansion
5. Excellent
impact and
1. Excellent ductility,
tensile and yield
strengths
2. Good toughness
3. Good fatigue
strength
4. Good impact
strength
5. Good hardness
and high modulus
of elasticity
6. Corrosion
resistant
can be cast into
complex shapes
5. Good wear
resistance
6. Excellent
machinability
(better than
steel)
7. Outstanding
vibration and
sound damping
capacity
fatigue
strength
6. Good wear
resistance and
vibration
damping
7. Excellent
machinability


7. Excellent
castability and
wear resistance
8. Resists oxidation
at high
temperatures
9. Good
machinability
Application
Machine tool
bodies
Engine blocks
Engine cylinders
Brake drums
Cam shafts
Ingot moulds
Raw material for
the production
of malleable cast
iron
Wear plates,
pump linings
Used for interior
castings
Brake shoes,
pedals
Wheel hubs,
axle housing
Transmission
gears and door
hinges
Valves, pump
bodies
Crank shafts,
gears, pinions
Rollers, rocker
arms
Power
transmission
equipments