A Guide to Carbon Steels

Typically, steel is classed by its carbon content. Every type of steel has at least some carbon. After all, steel is classified as an iron-carbon alloy. Without the presence of carbon, the element would be iron. By adding carbon to the metal, its strength and hardness are increased. This is the reason why many manufacturing and construction firms prefer steel to conventional iron.

However, not all steel has the same carbon-to-iron ratio. Some steels have a greater carbon-to-iron ratio than others. There are specifically three varieties of steel: low-carbon, medium-carbon, and high-carbon steel. What exactly is the difference between different sorts of steel?

What Is Low Carbon Steel?

Low-carbon steel is distinguished by its low carbon-to-iron ratio. Low-carbon is defined as containing less than 0.30 percent carbon. Also known as mild steel, its production is less expensive than medium- and high-carbon steel. In addition to being inexpensive, low-carbon steel is more malleable, which may increase its effectiveness for some applications while decreasing it for others.

What Is Medium Carbon?

The ratio of carbon to iron in medium-carbon steel is greater than that of low-carbon steel but lower than that of high-carbon steel. Medium-carbon steel contains between 0.30 and 0.60 percent carbon, and low-carbon steel includes less than 0.30 percent carbon. Medium-carbon steel is utilised in the construction of numerous automobile components. Although it is tougher and more durable than low-carbon steel, it retains some ductility.

What Is High Carbon Steel?

Obviously, high-carbon steel has the largest carbon-to-iron ratio. It contains more than 0.60 percent carbon, altering its physical properties. It is also known as carbon tool steel and contains between 0.61 and 1.5% carbon. High-carbon steel is stronger and tougher but less ductile than low-carbon and medium-carbon steel due to its high carbon content.

It is essential to remember that all varieties of steel, including low-carbon, medium-carbon, and high-carbon, include more than iron and carbon. While steel is distinguished by the presence of these two primary components, Typically, trace levels of additional elements are present. It is not uncommon for steel to have trace levels of chromium or nickel, for instance.

To summarise, steel is frequently classified based on its carbon content. The carbon content of low-carbon steel is less than 0.30 percent. Carbon content in medium-carbon steel ranges from 0.30% to 0.60%. In addition, high-carbon steel has over 0.60 percent carbon. As the carbon content of steel rises, its strength and hardness increase. Simultaneously, it becomes less ductile.