Module - 4
Alloys & It’s Property
(Part-1)
Ferrous Alloy
Steel
• Steel is an alloy of iron, carbon, and several other elements like manganese,
silicon is an important constituent because of its ability to increase the
hardness and strength of the steel.
• It contains carbon upto 2 %.
• Carbon is most important element and hence steels are classified according to
carbon content.
Low carbon steel (mild steel ) less then 0.30 % C
Medium carbon steel 0.30 to 0.70 % C
High carbon steel 0.70 to 2.0 C
When elements like Nickel, chromium, tungsten are present in sufficient
quantity, the steel is called “alloy steel”.
Low carbon steel ( Mild steel)
• Mild steel is the commonest carbon content steel with a range of 0.05
% to 0.30% carbon.
• It is classified into three types
Dead mild steel C 0.05% to 0.15 %
Mild steel C 0.15-0.20%
Mild steel C 0.20-0.30 %
Mild steel
Properties
• Bright fibrous structure.
• Can be readily forged and welded
• Can be permanently magnetized
• Rusts rapidly
• Can be harden and tempered but not easily.
Application of mild steel
• Mild steel or low carbon steel are used for wire, structural shapes
screw machine parts such as screws, nuts and bolts, storage tanks,
automobile frames, sheet.
• The sheet made up of mild steels are soft, very ductile, easily
machined, since the carbon content is low so heat treatment process
is ineffective.
Medium carbon steels
• Medium Steel containing carbon from 0.30 to 0.70 %
• Are used for rails, axles, gears and parts requiring high strength.
Percentage Carbon (% C) Tensile strength (N/mm2)
0.30-0.45 750
0.45-0.60 1000
0.6-0.7 1230
High carbon steel
• Steel containing 0.70-2.0 % carbon is called high carbon steel.
• Carbon is most important alloying element in steel.
• Plain carbon steels are very satisfactory where strength and other
properties are not too severe.
Composition of HCS
Carbon 0.7%-2.0%
Silicon 0.2%- 0.6%
Manganese 0.2%-0.8%
Phosphorus 0.05% - 0.15%
Chromium 0.12% - 0.2%
Sulphur 0.005% – 0.05%
Properties of High carbon steel
• It has fine granular structure.
• Tough and more elastic than mild steel.
• Can be hardened and tempered readily.
• Can’t be easily forged and welded.
• Can be permanently magnetized.
• Brittle and less ductile than mild steel.
% Carbon Tensile strength Compressive
• Rusted rapidly. (N/mm2) strength
(N/mm2)
• Absorbs shocks. 0.7 – 0.8 % 1400 450-500
0.8 % - 0.9% 660 500-600
0.9%-1.00 580 550-600
Uses of High carbon steel
• High carbon steels are widely used in cutting tools such as knives,
drills, taps, hand tools, reamers and for abrasion-resisting properties.
• Using heat treatment process properties of these steels are improved,
so these are used to make products having high strength and
hardness.
• This steel is also used for making product having edges, shear blades
and also for spring wire, wire rope.
High speed steel (HSS)
• HSS contains on its alloying elements in addition to carbon additional
alloying elements such as tungsten, molybdenum, chromium and
vanadium.
• The alloying elements form carbides with the carbon present in steel.
• Proper heat treatment gives high hardness and strength which is
necessary for the tool.
• Tungsten and molybdenum form hard complex carbides with carbon
and iron in steel which gives secondary hardening.
Properties of HSS
• High wear resistance.
• Good cutting ability.
• High hardness upto temperature 550 C due to formation of alloy
carbide.
Properties of HSS
• Different grades of HSS are used for the manufacturing of drills,
milling cutters, hobs, broaches, saws, reamer, threading dies, tools.
