Alloy steel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Page 1 of 4

Alloy steel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alloy steel is steel alloyed with other elements in Iron alloy phases
amounts of between 1 and 50% by weight to improve
Ferrite (α-iron, δ-iron; soft)
its mechanical properties. Alloy steels are broken Austenite (γ-iron; harder)
down into two groups: low alloy steels and high Spheroidite
alloy steels. The differentiation between the two is Pearlite (88% ferrite, 12% cementite)
somewhat arbitrary; Smith and Hashemi define the Bainite
difference at 4%, while Degarmo, et. al., define it at Martensite
Ledeburite (ferrite-cementite eutectic, 4.3% carbon)
8%.[1][2] However, most commonly alloy steel refers Cementite (iron carbide, Fe3C; hardest)
to low alloy steel. Steel classes

These steels have greater strength, hardness, hot Carbon steel (≤2.1% carbon; low alloy)
hardness, wear resistance, hardenability, or toughness Stainless steel (+chromium)
compared to carbon steel. However, they may require Maraging steel (+nickel)
heat treatment in order to achieve such properties. Alloy steel (hard)
Tool steel (harder)
Common alloying elements are molybdenum,
manganese, nickel, chromium, vanadium, silicon and Other iron-based materials
boron. Cast iron (>2.1% carbon)
Ductile iron
Contents Wrought iron (contains slag)

1 Low alloy steel

2 Material science

3 See also

4 References

4.1 Notes

4.2 Bibliography

Low alloy steel

Low alloy steels are usually used to achieve better hardenability, which in turn improves its other
mechanical properties. They are also used to increase corrosion resistance in certain environmental
conditions.[3]
With medium to high carbon levels, low alloy steel is difficult to weld. Lowering the carbon content
to the range of 0.10% to 0.30%, along with some reduction in alloying elements, increases the
weldability and formability of the steel while maintaining its strength. Such a metal is classed as a
high-strength low-alloy steel.

Some common low alloy steels are:

D6AC

300M

Principle low alloy steels[4]

SAE designation Composition
13xx Mn 1.75%

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40xx Mo 0.20% or 0.25% or 0.25% Mo & 0.042% S

41xx Cr 0.50% or 0.80% or 0.95%, Mo 0.12% or 0.20% or 0.25% or 0.30%
43xx Ni 1.82%, Cr 0.50% to 0.80%, Mo 0.25%
44xx Mo 0.40% or 0.52%
46xx Ni 0.85% or 1.82%, Mo 0.20% or 0.25%
47xx Ni 1.05%, Cr 0.45%, Mo 0.20% or 0.35%
48xx Ni 3.50%, Mo 0.25%
50xx Cr 0.27% or 0.40% or 0.50% or 0.65%
50xxx Cr 0.50%, C 1.00% min
50Bxx Cr 0.28% or 0.50%
51xx Cr 0.80% or 0.87% or 0.92% or 1.00% or 1.05%
51xxx Cr 1.02%, C 1.00% min
51Bxx Cr 0.80%
52xxx Cr 1.45%, C 1.00% min
61xx Cr 0.60% or 0.80% or 0.95%, V 0.10% or 0.15% min
86xx Ni 0.55%, Cr 0.50%, Mo 0.20%
87xx Ni 0.55%, Cr 0.50%, Mo 0.25%
88xx Ni 0.55%, Cr 0.50%, Mo 0.35%
92xx Si 1.40% or 2.00%, Mn 0.65% or 0.82% or 0.85%, Cr 0.00% or 0.65%
94Bxx Ni 0.45%, Cr 0.40%, Mo 0.12%

Material science
Alloying elements are added to achieve certain properties in the material. As a guideline, alloying
elements are added in lower percentages (less than 5%) to increase strength or hardenability, or in
larger percentages (over 5%) to achieve special properties, such as corrosion resistance or extreme
temperature stability.[2]
Manganese, silicon, or aluminium are added during the steelmaking process to removed dissolved
oxygen from the melt. Manganese, silicon, nickel, and copper are added to increase strength by
forming solid solutions in ferrite. Chromium, vanadium, molybdenum, and tungsten increase
strength by forming second-phase carbides. Nickel and copper improve corrosion resistance in small
quantities. Molybdenum helps to resist embrittlement. Zirconium, cerium, and calcium increase
toughness by controlling the shape of inclusions. Manganese sulfide, lead, bismuth, selenium, and
tellurium increase machinability.[5]
The alloying elements tend to either form compounds or carbides. Nickel is very soluble in ferrite,
therefore it forms compounds, usually Ni3Al. Aluminium dissolves in the ferrite and forms the
compounds Al2O3 and AlN. Silicon is also very soluble and usually forms the compound
SiO2•MxOy. Manganese mostly dissolves in ferrite forming the compounds MnS, MnO•SiO2, but
will also form carbides in the form of (Fe,Mn)3C. Chromium forms partitions between the ferrite and
carbide phases in steel, forming (Fe,Cr3)C, Cr7C3, and Cr23C6. The type of carbide that chromium
forms depends on the amount of carbon and other types of alloying elements present. Tungsten and
molybdenum form carbides if there is enough carbon and an absence of stronger carbide forming

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elements (i.e. titanium & niobium), they form the carbides Mo2C and W2C, respectively. Vanadium,
titanium, and niobium are strong carbide forming elements, forming the carbides V3C3, TiC, and
NiC, respectively.[6]
Alloying elements also have an affect on the eutectoid temperature of the steel. Manganese and
nickel lower the eutectoid temperature and are known as austenite stabilizing elements. With enough
of these elements the austenitic structure may be obtained at room temperature. Carbide forming
elements raise the eutectoid temperature; these elements are known as ferrite stabilizing elements.[7]

Principal effects of major alloying elements for steel[8]

Element Percentage Primary function
Aluminium 0.95–1.30 Alloying element in nitriding steels
Bismuth - Improves machinability
Boron 0.001–0.003 Powerful hardenability agent
0.5–2 Increases hardenability
Chromium
4–18 Corrosion resistance
Copper 0.1–0.4 Corrosion resistance
Lead - Improves machinability
0.25–0.40 Combines with sulfur to prevent brittleness
Manganese Increases hardenability by lowering transformation points and
>1
causing transformations to be sluggish
Molybdenum 0.2–5 Stable carbides; inhibits grain growth
2–5 Toughener
Nickel
12–20 Corrosion resistance
0.2–0.7 Increases strength
2 Spring steels
Silicon
Higher
Improves magnetic properties
percentages
Sulfur 0.08–0.15 Free-machining properties
Fixes carbon in inert particles; reduces martensitic hardness in
Titanium -
chromium steels
Tungsten - Hardness at high temperatures
Stable carbides; increases strength while retaining ductility;
Vanadium 0.15
promotes fine grain structure

See also

HSLA steel

Microalloyed steel

SAE steel grades

Reynolds 531

References
Notes

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1. ^ Smith, p. 393.
2. ^ a b Degarmo, p. 112.
3. ^ Classification of Carbon and Low-Alloy Steel, http://www.key-to-steel.com/Articles/Art62.htm,
retrieved on 25 September 2008.
4. ^ Smith, p. 394.
5. ^ Degarmo, p. 113.
6. ^ Smith, pp. 394-395.
7. ^ Smith, pp. 395-396
8. ^ Degarmo, p. 114.

Bibliography

Degarmo, E. Paul; Black, J T.; Kohser, Ronald A. (2003), Materials and Processes in
Manufacturing (9th ed.), Wiley, ISBN 0-471-65653-4.

Groover, M. P., 2007, p. 105-106, Fundamentals of Modern Manufacturing: Materials,
Processes and Systems, 3rd ed, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ, ISBN-13 978-0-471-
74485-6.

Smith, William F.; Hashemi, Javad (2001), Foundations of Material Science and Engineering
(4th ed.), McGraw-Hill, p. 394, ISBN 0-07-295358-6

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Category: Steels

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