What is carbon steel?
Carbon-containing steel as the main alloy element is called carbon steel. Actually, it receives this denomination due to the high amount of carbon in its composition.
The technical definition, although complex, is reduced to a simple restriction: true carbon steels have almost no alloy elements, so they are mainly made of iron and carbon.
The properties of this type of steel depend on the percentage of carbon it possesses. Based on the quantity, we can classify them into three categories:
Medium carbon steel
High carbon steel
Ultra high carbon steel
The composition of high carbon steel ranges from 0.3% to 1.7%. At first glance this doesn't seem like much, but adding even a tiny amount of carbon to the composition can make a huge difference.
For example, ultra-high carbon steel contains about 1% to 2% carbon. The high amount of this ingredient in steel allows it to withstand extreme temperatures. This is the reason why heat treatments can be carried out easily in ultra-high carbon steel.
Unfortunately, when placed under extreme tensile stress, high carbon steels are more likely to crack than to bend.
Low carbon steels are more common than high carbon steels due to:
lower production costs
increased ductility
ease of use in manufacturing
Additionally, low carbon steels tend to deform under stress rather than break, and that ductility makes them easy to machine and weld. They are frequently used in car body panels, bolts, accessories, seamless pipes and steel plates.
Common characteristics of carbon steel
The characteristic of carbon steel includes great strength and hardness. This is the reason why carbon steel is often used in various construction applications. The harder and stronger the material, the more suitable for these purposes.
However, carbon steel is not free from defects. It is very inappropriate for applications that require a material with a certain degree of flexibility.
The technical definition, although complex, is reduced to a simple restriction: true carbon steels have almost no alloy elements, so they are mainly made of iron and carbon.
The properties of this type of steel depend on the percentage of carbon it possesses. Based on the quantity, we can classify them into three categories:
Medium carbon steel
High carbon steel
Ultra high carbon steel
The composition of high carbon steel ranges from 0.3% to 1.7%. At first glance this doesn't seem like much, but adding even a tiny amount of carbon to the composition can make a huge difference.
For example, ultra-high carbon steel contains about 1% to 2% carbon. The high amount of this ingredient in steel allows it to withstand extreme temperatures. This is the reason why heat treatments can be carried out easily in ultra-high carbon steel.
Unfortunately, when placed under extreme tensile stress, high carbon steels are more likely to crack than to bend.
Low carbon steels are more common than high carbon steels due to:
lower production costs
increased ductility
ease of use in manufacturing
Additionally, low carbon steels tend to deform under stress rather than break, and that ductility makes them easy to machine and weld. They are frequently used in car body panels, bolts, accessories, seamless pipes and steel plates.
Common characteristics of carbon steel
The characteristic of carbon steel includes great strength and hardness. This is the reason why carbon steel is often used in various construction applications. The harder and stronger the material, the more suitable for these purposes.
However, carbon steel is not free from defects. It is very inappropriate for applications that require a material with a certain degree of flexibility.
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