Introduction
An alloy steel is a 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 steel is generally more responsive to mechanical and heat treatments than carbon steels. The incorporation of certain elements can bring certain properties to the alloy steel including improved formability, strength, toughness, hardness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance and even with the addition of special alloying elements, better low temperature properties.
Types of Alloy Steel
1. Low-Alloy Steel: This steel typically includes the elements manganese, silicon, or copper in concentrations of less than 5%. However, these alloys have higher levels of mechanical properties and better weldability.
2. High-Alloy Steel: These normally contain a variety of elements between 8-10% and as high as 20%. Chrome-Molybdenum or “Chromoly” is a popular high-alloy steel.
3. Tool Steel: Tool steel is usually used for cutting and drilling tools. It has high hardness and abrasion resistance for durable tools.
4. Marage Steel: This type of steel is usually heated to a temperature between 800-1275℃, and then cooled in oil. It often exhibits better strength than regular stainless steel.
5. Stainless Steel: This is the most common type of alloys. It contains chrome, nickel, and other elements that give it corrosion resistant properties.
Characteristics of Alloy Steel
1. Strength: High tensile strength and yield strength makes alloy steel particularly suitable for applications that require strength and rigidity, such as pipelines and automotive components.
2. Heat resistance: Many of the elements used in creating alloy steel can help improve heat resistance. Chromium, manganese and silicon, for instance, all help make alloys more heat resistant.
3. Wear resistance: With the inclusion of alloys such as chrome, manganese and nickel, alloy steel can be made more resistant to wear and tear.
4. Corrosion resistance: Because alloy steel contains elements such as chromium and nickel, it is less likely to corrode than other steels.
Conclusion
Alloy steel is a metal alloy made up of several elements to improve its physical properties, mainly hardness, strength and wear resistance. Different types of alloy steel all have their own unique characteristics and properties that make them perfect for a variety of applications. By properly selecting the right alloy steel, metal fabricators can maximize the performance and properties of their metal components.