| THE
EFFECTS OF ELEMENTS ALLOYED IN CARBON,
ALLOY AND STAINLESS STEELS CAN BE EITHER
BENEFICIAL OR DETRIMENTAL DEPENDING ON
BOTH THE QUANTITY OF THE ELEMENT OR ITS
COMPANION ELEMENTS. |
| ALUMINUM
(Al) |
PROMOTES
FINE GRAINS IN LOW-CARBON STEELS WHILE
RETARDING THE SUSCEPTIBILITY TO AGE HARDENING.
CONTRIBUTES TO THE PRECIPITATION HARDENING
QUALITIES OF SOME STAINLESS STEELS. |
| CARBON
(C) |
THE
PRINCIPAL ALLOYING ELEMENT FOR THE STRENGTHENING
AND HARDENING OF CARBON AND ALLOY STEELS,
USUALLY WITH A SACRIFICE IN DUCTILITY. |
| CHROMIUM
(Ch) |
INCREASES
HARDENABILITY AND WEAR RESISTANCE OF ALLOY
STEELS. IMPROVES RESISTANCE TO CHEMICAL
CORROSION AND SCALING IN AIR AT ELEVATED
TEMPERATURES. |
| COBALT
(C) |
INCREASES
STRENGTH AND HARDNESS AND PERMITS HIGHER
QUENCHING TEMPERATURES. IT ALSO INTENSIFIES
THE INDIVIDUAL EFFECTS OF OTHER MAJOR ELEMENTS
IN A MORE COMPLEX STEEL. |
| COLUMBIUM
(Cb) + TANTALUM (Ta): |
USED
IN COMBINATION. STABILIZERS FOR STAINLESS
STEELS. |
| MANGANESE
(Mn) |
A
SULFIDE-FORMER THAT DECREASES THE TENDENCY
TO CRACK DURING THE HOT-WORKING OPERATIONS.
HARDENS CARBON AND ALLOY STEELS AND PROMOTES
WELDABILITY. |
| MOLYBDENUM
(Mo) |
INCREASES
STRENGTH, HARDNESS, HARDENABILITY, AND
TOUGHNESS AS WELL AS CREEP RESISTANCE AND
STRENGTH AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES. IT IMPROVES
MACHINABILITY AND RESISTANCE TO CORROSION
AND INTENSIFIES THE EFFECT OF OTHER ALLOYING
ELEMENTS |
| NICKEL
(N) |
INCREASES
STRENGTH AND HARDNESS WITHOUT SACRIFICING
DUCTILITY AND TOUGHNESS. ALSO INCREASES
RESISTANCE TO CORROSION AND SCALING AT
ELEVATED TEMPERATURES. |
| PHOSPHORUS
(P) |
INCREASES
STRENGTH AND HARDNESS AND IMPROVES MACHINABILITY.
HOWEVER IT ADDS MARKED BRITTLENESS OR COLD-SHORTNESS
TO STEEL. |
| SELENIUM
(Se) |
IMPROVES
MACHINABILITY. |
| SILICON
(Si) |
A
DEOXIDIZER USED FOR "KILLING" STEELS
RESULTING IN FINER GRAINS AND IMPROVED
DUCTILITY. IMPROVES SCALING RESISTANCE
OF STAINLESS STEELS. IMPARTS SPECIAL MAGNETIC
PROPERTIES TO IRON BASE ALLOYS. SILICON
ALSO STRENGTHENS LOW ALLOY STEELS. |
| SULFUR
(Su) |
FORMS
LOCALIZED EMBRITTLED STRIATIONS THAT IMPROVE
MACHINABILTY WHILE DECREASING DUCTILITY
AND IMPACT STRENGTH, PARTICULARLY IN THE
TRANSVERSE DIRECTION. DECREASES WELDABILITY. |
| TITANIUM
(Ti) |
A
CARBIDE-FORMER, IT STABILIZES STAINLESS
STEELS TO PROMOTE WELDABILITY WITHOUT SACRIFICING
CORROSION RESISTANCE. REFINES GRAINS IN
CARBON AND ALLOY STEELS. |
| TUNGSTEN
(W) |
INCREASES
STRENGTH, HARDNESS, AND TOUGHNESS. TUNGSTEN
STEELS HAVE SUPERIOR HOT-WORKING AND GREATER
CUTTING EFFICIENCY AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES. |
| VANADIUM
(V) |
FORMS
FINE GRAINS AND CONTRIBUTES TO THE DEEP-HARDENING
PROPERTIES OF ALLOY STEELS. |
