The Properties and Uses of Steel
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. The carbon adds strength and improves fracture resistance. Other elements may also be present. For example, stainless structural steelwork contractors contain up to 11% chromium. It is a very versatile metal that has a wide range of applications. The following article discusses some of the properties and uses of steel.
Properties
The most important properties of steel are hardness, ductility, and bending resistance. These properties can determine the type of steel that’s right for your project. For example, if you’re planning to use a piece of steel in a die-casting application, you’ll need a high level of toughness and wear resistance. The higher the carbon content, the harder the steel will be. This will increase the yield strength of the steel, as well as its tensile strength and resistance to wear and tear. However, with increased carbon content, the bending characteristics of steel will be reduced, as well as its machinability.
Another important property of steel is its high melting point, which is higher than the melting point of other metals. It can also be compressed into sheets of varying thickness, which makes it a valuable tool for structural applications. Steel also has excellent strength and durability, and is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. For this reason, it is a great material for domestic appliances, such as kitchenware. Furthermore, steel is a beautiful metal that is both lustrous and silvery in color.
Manufacturing
The production of steel involves the use of a variety of different processes. These include melting raw materials in an electric furnace for eight to twelve hours to create steel. The molten steel is then cast into a form. These forms may include slabs, rods, blooms, billets, tubes, and sheets. Depending on their purpose, these forms may undergo a variety of processing steps and be coated with other metals or chemicals.
The construction industry is a major market for steel. It accounted for over 50% of the global market in 2014 and is expected to continue its dominance over the forecast period. Steel is used in construction activities to build roads, bridges, and other structures. Another major end-use for steel is the automotive industry, which accounts for a significant percentage of global demand. This is due to the increasing production levels of passenger cars and heavy trucks in various regions across the world.
Additives
The process of steel production involves the addition of steel additives to improve its properties. Deoxidizers and alloys are used to reduce the activity of oxygen in the steel. The deoxidizers or alloys can be used to cancel out the dephosphorizing additives. The addition of phosphorus can help prevent the steel from re-phosphorizing in the ladle.
Steel additives are added to a steel bath after the steel has been melted. They can be in a powder form or in liquid form. Some additives are low in density and are blown into the steel in the ladle.
Manufacturing stages
Steelmaking is a complex process with several stages. Depending on the type of steel, each stage has different procedures. After initial annealing and hot rolling, the material undergoes subsequent cold rolling. This process reduces the thickness of the steel further. The final cold rolling stage prepares the steel for final processing.
Coal is a key element in steelmaking. It is used in the production of coke, in the blast furnace, to generate steam and electricity, and in direct smelting of iron. About 0.44 Mt of coal is used worldwide for steel production.
Recyclability
The recyclability of steel is one of the greatest advantages of this material. It is easy to separate from other metals and does not degrade when recycled. It retains its strength and value, even after several cycles of remelting. The steel industry has used this property to make many products that we use on a daily basis.
Steel recycling rates have increased in recent years. More than 8500 curbside recycling programs are now in operation, and nearly 97 percent of them accept steel cans. Many communities also have programs to accept empty steel aerosol cans.