Alloy Steel is steel that is alloyed with a variety of elements in total amounts between 1.0% and 50% by weight to improve its mechanical properties. Alloy steels are broken down into two groups: low-alloy steels and high-alloy steels.
High-Alloy Steel
High-alloy steels are defined by a high percentage of alloying elements. Stainless steel is high-alloy steel which contains at least 12 percent chromium. Stainless steel is devided into three basic types: martensitic, ferritic, and austenitic. Martensitic steels contain the least amount of chromium, and known for high hardenability, and are mainly used for cutlery. Ferritic steels contains 12 to 27 percent nickel chromium alloy and are suitable to use in automobiles and industrial equipment. Austenitic steels contain high levels of nickel, carbon, manganese, or nitrogen and usually have the highest corrosion resistance. Austenitic steels are mainly used to store corrosive liquids and mining, chemical, or pharmacy equipment.
Low-Alloy Steel
Among alloy steels, when Ni, Cr, Mo, and other alloy elements content consist of less than 10.5% are known as low alloy steels. Low-alloy steels have a much lower percentage of alloying elements, usually 1 to 5 percent. These steels have very different strengths and uses depending on the chosen alloy. High-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steels, or microalloyed steels, are designed to provide better mechanical properties and/or greater resistance to atmospheric corrosion than conventional carbonsteels in the normal sense.
Alloy steel can further classify as
Low alloy steels: in which sum of total Alloying elements is < 5%
High alloy steels: in which sum of total Alloying elements is > 5%
Post time: Feb-15-2022