Steel is an iron alloy with an amount of carbon that can vary between 0.03% and 1.075% by weight of its composition, depending on the steel grade.
Steel is not the same as iron and the two materials should not be confused. Iron (Fe) is a relatively hard and tough metal, with a melting temperature of 1535 °C and a boiling point of 2740 °C.
The main difference between iron and steel is in the percentage of carbon: steel is iron with a percentage of carbon between 0.03% and 1.075%.
Steel preserves the metallic characteristics of iron in its pure state, but the addition of carbon and other elements, both metallic and non-metallic, improves its physicochemical properties, especially its strength.
There are many types of steel depending on the elements that are present. Each type of steel will allow different applications and uses, which makes it a versatile and widely used material in modern life, where we can find it widely on avenues and bridges.
The properties of steel depend on its chemical composition and the type of treatment applied. The most important characteristics that all steels share are as follows:
The types of treatment that steels are subjected to enhance some of their properties are:
Types of Steel
The types of steels are classified according to their composition. Some of them are:
The two main components of steel are found in abundance in nature. Steel can be recycled indefinitely without losing its attributes, which favors its large-scale production. This variety and availability makes it suitable for numerous uses such as the construction of machinery, tools, buildings, electrical structures and public works, in aeronautics, in the automotive industry, in greenhouses, in medical instruments, in the furniture sector among others. Contributing to the technological development of industrialized societies, as no material can match it when it comes to resistance to impact or fatigue.