Alloys
Alloys
Alloys
METALS/ALLOYS
Ferrous Metals
Primarily Composed of iron
• Low hardenability.
• Major loss of hardness on tempering.
• Low corrosion and oxidation resistance.
• Low strength at elevated temperatures
To improve the properties of
steel: elements are alloyed
Alloying Elements
• Chromium • Molybdenum
• Nickel • Tungsten
• Manganese • Vanadium
• Other alloying
elements
Steels
Plain Carbon Steels- (aka) Plain Carbon and Mild Steel
• Weathering steels
• Control-rolled steels
• Pearlite-reduced steel
• Acicular ferrite steels
• Dual-phase steels
• Microalloyed steels
Weathering steels
Steels which have better corrosion resistance. A common example is
COR-TEN.
Control-rolled steels
Hot rolled steels which have a highly deformed austenite structure that will
transform to a very fine equiaxed ferrite structure upon cooling
Pearlite-reduced steel
Low carbon content steels which lead to little or no pearlite, but rather a very fine
grain ferrite matrix. It is strengthened by precipitation hardening.
Acicular ferrite steels
These steels are characterized by a very fine high strength acicular ferrite
structure, a very low carbon content, and good hardenability.
Dual-phase steels
12wt% chromium does not ensure that the steel will not rust
Classifications of Stainless Steels
As with other steels, stainless may be wrought or cast. Wrought stainless is
grouped by its structure as
• Austensitic
Cast stainless may be classified as heat resistant or
• Ferritic corrosion resistant.
• Martensitic
• Duplex
• Precipitation Hardening (PH).
Austenitic
Classifications of Stainless Steels
A single-phase solid solution that has good corrosion resistance. The most
popular and weldable of the stainless steels. Can be divided into three groups:
common chromium-nickel (300 series), manganese-chromium-nickel-
nitrogen (200 series) and specialty alloys. Austenitic stainless steels have a face-
centered cubic structure. Though generally very weldable, some grades can be
prone to sensitization of the weld heat-affected zone and weld metal hot
cracking.
Ferritic
Have low carbon (0.12% or less) content and high chromium content (14%
to 27%) in a solid solution and do not harden by heat treatment. Consists of
iron-chromium alloys with body-centered cubic crystal structures. They can have
good ductility and formability, but high-temperature strengths are relatively poor
when compared to austenitic grades. Some ferritic stainless steels (such as types
409 and 405) used, for example, in mufflers, exhaust systems, kitchen counters
and sinks, cost less than other stainless steels. Other more highly alloyed steels
low in C and N (such as types 444 and 261) are more costly, but are highly
resistant to chlorides.
Martensitic
High carbon content, up to 1.2% with 12% to 18% chromium. Contain a
balance of C and Ni vs. Cr and Mo; hence, austenite at high temperatures
transforms to martensite at low temperatures. Like ferrite, they also have a body-
centered cubic crystal structure in the hardened condition. The carbon content
of these hardenable steels affects forming and welding. To obtain useful
properties and prevent cracking, the weldable martensitics usually require
preheating and postweld heat treatment.
Duplex
Primarily used in chemical plants and piping applications, the duplex
stainless steels are developing rapidly today and have a microstructure
of approximately equal amounts of ferrite and austenite. Duplex stainless
steels typically contain approximately 22-25% chromium and 5% nickel with
molybdenum and nitrogen. Although duplex and some austenitic do have
similar alloying elements, duplexes have higher yield strength and greater
stress corrosion cracking resistance to chloride than austenitic stainless steels.
Precipitation Hardening
• Ideal for engine blocks, gear boxes, machine tools, pistons, cylinders, piston ring,
and manhole covers. It absorbs noise and vibrations, is self-lubricating, and
has excellent corrosion resistance.
• Brittle, least expensive of all metallic materials.
• Contains 3.5% carbon and 2-2.5% silicon.
Ductile Cast Iron (Nodular Cast Iron)
With 3.5% carbon and 2.5% Silicon, the addition of small amounts of
Magnesium (Mg), Sodium (Na), Cerium (Ce), Calcium (Ca), Lithium (Li), or other
elements to molten iron will cause tiny balls, or spheriulites, of graphite to precipitate
out. As the name implies, the spheriulitic structure improves the elongation or
ductility while yielding superior tensile strength (150,000 psi or 1034 MPa) and
machinability (similar to gray iron).
White Cast Iron
Raw materials are melted together in an electric furnace for 8-12 hours of
intense heating: melting point 1400-1450 degrees
The molten steel is cast into semi-finished forms.
Slab
Blooms
Comparison
Forming
• The semi-finished steel will undergo hot rolling
• Hot Rolling-Steel is heated and passed through huge rolls.
• Blooms and billets are formed into bar and wire
• Slabs are formed into plate, strip, and sheet
Heat Treatment
• Obtained by first hot rolling and then cold rolling on polished rolls.
Mirror Finish
After the stainless steel in its various forms are packed and shipped to the fabricator, a
variety of other processes are needed. Further shaping is accomplished using a variety of
methods.
Methods: Press Prawing
Roll Forming Extrusion
Press Forming
Forging
Roll Forming
Press Forming
Forging
Press Drawing
Extrusion
Joining Stainless steel
Variety of methods for joining stainless steel:
• Welding
• Fusion Welding
• Resistance Welding
Welding
Fusion Welding
• heat is provided by an electric arc struck between an electrode and the metal
to be welded
Resistance Welding
• Heat is produced by the resistance to the flow of electric current through the
parts to be welded, and pressure is applied by the electrodes.
Mechanical Properties
Stainless Steel