Mumbai University > Mechanical Engineering > Sem 4 > Material Technology

Marks: 6M

Year: Dec 2014

Plane carbon steel

Mild steel also known as plain-carbon steel, is the most common form of steel because its price is relatively low while it provides material properties that are acceptable for many applications, more so than iron. Low-carbon steel contains approximately 0.05–0.320% carbon making it malleable and ductile.

Like everything, the plain carbon steels do have some appreciable properties but also consists of some limitations.

• There cannot be strengthening beyond about 100000 psi without significant loss in toughness (impact resistance) and ductility.
• Large sections cannot be made with a martensite structure throughout, and thus are
• not deep hardenable.
• Rapid quench rates are necessary for full hardening in medium-carbon leads to shape
• Distortion and cracking of heat-treated steels.
• Plain-carbon steels have poor impact resistance at low temperatures. -Plain-carbon steels have poor corrosion resistance for engineering problems.
• Plain-carbon steel oxidizes readily at elevated temperatures.