EFFECTS OF ALLOYING ELEMENT

ALUMINIUM :Strongest and therefore recurrently used element, favours insensibility to ageing. Added in small amounts it helps fine grain formation. Since it combines with nitrogen to form very hard nitrides, it is a favourable alloy in nitriding steel. Alloyed with ferric heat resistant steels, it increases non-scaling properties. Plain Carbon Steels are made resistant to scaling by alitizing i.e. introducing aluminium in to the surface. Aluminium considerably restricts the Gama Zone. Because of its aptitude to increase coercive force, it is used for Fe-Ni-Co-Al Permanent Magnet alloys. Since boron has a high efficiency cross section for neutron absorption, it is used as an alloy constituent in regulators and shields of nuclear power plants. By way of precipitation hardening, boron can impart to 18/8 CrNi steels a higher yield point and tensile strength whereas the corrosion resistance decreases. Precipitations caused by boron improve the tensile properties of high temperature austenitic steel grade within the range of elevated temperatures. In structural and engineering steel, boron favours through hardening and increases core strength in case-hardening steels. In the Silico calcium combination, it is used for deoxidization. Calcium enhances non-scaling properties of heat conductor alloys. Carbon is the principal hardening element in steel. With Iron, Carbon combines to form carbide, which is hard and brittle. The increment in carbon percentage within steel, increase the hardness of steel. The hardness becomes correspondingly less in steels containing more than 85% Carbon than low carbon ranges. Ductility and Weldability decrease as the Carbon increases. Chromium is used to increase depth hardenability and promote carburization. It refines the grain structure. Chromium forms the most stable carbide, resulting to increase the wear-resistance. The carburization thereby becomes relatively easy and makes the steel apt for oil or air hardening. The corrosion resistance steel require a 13% minimum of Chromium. With increased carbon content, chromium contents up to 3% will boost remanence and coercive force. In steel with Chromium above 3% the corrosion resistance is greatly promoted. Cobalt does not create carbides. It inhibits grain growth at elevated temperatures and considerably improves the retention of hardness and hot strength. It is therefore an alloy constituent in all types of steel (High Speed, Hot work, and high temperature steels). In large amount it boosts remanence coercive force and thermal conductivity. Hence it constitutes an appropriate alloy element for permanent magnet and alloy steel. Under Bombardment, if forms the highly radio active isotopes. Copper, used in small amount Carbon steel has no significant effect. Scarcely used because of its penetrating effect impacts in the steel, causing the surface harmful for Hot working. Most grades of steel already contain 0.15-0.20% copper, which
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BORON :-

CALCIUM:CARBON:-

CHROMIUM:-

COBALT:-

COPPER :-

does not represent a noxious factor. In some, cases, copper is added in order to increase the resistance of steel to atmospheric corrosion. High-alloy stainless steel become highly resistant to hydrochloric and sulphuric acids by a copper addition of more than 1%. HYDROGEN:Hydrogen is harmful to steel. It causes embrittlement by decrease of elongation and reduction of area without any increase of yield point and tensile strength. It is the source of the redoubtable snow-flake formation and favours the formation of ghost lines. Atomic hydrogen engendered by pickling penetrates into the steel and forms, blow-holes. At elecated temperatures moist hydrogen acts a decarburising agent. Lead is used in 0.2 to 0.5% in steel for making free machining steel. Its very fine suspension like distribution (because lead is insoluble in steel) permits to obtain short chips and clean surface. This promotes an improved machinability. Lead added in the above proportion will not effect the mechanical properties of steel. The metal is used in light-tensile alloys for aircraft. Aids formation of spherulitic graphite in cast iron. Manganese is deoxidiser. It is important to free cutting steels, as the risk of hot shortness is reduced. It adds to the strength and hardness of carbon steels. Steels containing more than 18% Mn will remain non-magnetic even after important cold working operations. They are used for special purpose e.g. as Subzero tough steels for low temperature jobs. Manganese increases the rate of carbon penetration in carburizing.

LEAD :-

MAGNESIUM :MANGANESE :-

MOLYBDENUM :- Molybdenum is used with other elements and has beneficial effects on steel. With chromium and manganese it improves and adds to the hardenability of steel. Being non-oxidizable element impacting a large measure of hardenability, it is useful where close hardenability control is required. Effective in increasing resistance to corrosion it is used in High chromium or Chromium Nickel steels. Molybdenum has powerful effect in increasing the high temperature, tensile and creep strength of ferrous steels. Steel containing molybdenum is less susceptible to temper brittleness than alloy steel in which Molybdenum is not present. NITROGEN :Nitrogen can have a deteriorating effect because it impairs toughness by certain precipitation process; produces susceptibility to ageing and deformation within the range of blue heat. Nitrogen is apt to promote intercrystalline stress corrosion cracking in unalloyed and low alloy steels. A high surface hardness can be obtained by nitriding. As an alloying element nitrogen enlarges gamma zone, stabilizes austenite strength yield point and mechanical properties at elecated temps.

NICKEL :-

Nickel provides improved toughness particularly at low temperatures. Nickel steel are suitable for case hardening and tempering as well as low temperature steels. Nickel does not form any carbides or other compounds which might be difficult to dissolve during heating for austenitizing. By considerably enlarging the gamma area, nickel contents of more than 7% impact high-chromium stainless steels an austentic structure that is retained below room temperature. With chromium, the nickel-chromium austenitic steel provides high resistance to reducing Chemicals. Thermal and electrical conductivity are considerable reduced. High
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Nickel Percentage if used within strictly controlled chemical ranges, lead to steels with special physical properties, required by aircraft engine gear roller bearings and such other applications. Outstanding characteristic of nickel is that nickel steels are successfully heat treated without any risk. OXYGEN :Oxygen is injurious to steel. The specific influence of oxygen depends on the type and composition of its compounds in steel and on their shape and distribution. It weakens mechanical properties in particular impact strength especially in the traverse direction, whereas the tendency to ageing, brittleness, red-shortness, woody and slaty (fibrous and fish scaled) fracture is increased. Phosphorus increases strength and hardness of steel . it also increases the susceptibility to temper brittleness. Phosphorus embrittlement increases with rising carbon content, higher hardening temperatures grain growth and with decreasing ratio of reduction by forging. Brittleness appears in the form of cold shortness and sensibility to shocks (tendency to brittle behaviour). Phosphorus increases the resistence atmospheric corrosion and in low carbon alloy steel promotes machinability and increases tensile strength. In austenitic Chromium Nickel Steel, Phosphorus additions may increase the yield point and cause precipation. Silicon is a deoxidizing agent. It improves tensile strength and abrasion resistance (Si-Mn quenched temper steels). As it markedly raises the yield point, it is used in spring steels. Silicon enhances resistance to scalling and therefore is used in high temperature steels. Although used in both hot and cold working the percentage of silicon should be strictly controlled. Silicon diminishes electrical conductivity, coercive force and watt losses and is therefore used in steels for electric sheets. Rimmed and capped steel may contain no significant amount of silicon. Semikilled steel may contain a moderate amount of silicon. Silicon content in killed steel varies according to its manganese content between .20 and .40% upto a max.to.60%. Sulphur decrease ductility and notched impact toughness but has only a slight effect on longitudinal properties. It is beneficial to machinability. It is used in free cutting steels. The improvement in machining characteristic is only reason for adding Sulphur to steel. Weldability decreases with increasing Sulphur. Tends to promote welding cracks.

PHOSPHORUS :-

SILICON :-

SULPHUR :-

TIN :- Tin is harmful to steel. Like copper it concentrates under the oxide layer; penetrates at the grain boundary and causes cracking and soldering brittleness. It has strong tendency to form segregations and reduces the gamma zone. TITANIUM :Having a high affinity to oxygen, nitrogen, Sulphur and carbon. Titanium acts as a strong deoxidiser and denitriser. It reacts with Sulphur and is powerful carbide former. In this later quality, it is extensively used as a stabilizer in stainless steel to prevent intergranular corrosion. Besides, it possesses grain refining properties. Titanium strongly reduces the gamma area. High percentages of Titanium cause precipitation processes. It is alloyed to permanent magnet alloys to obtain high coercive force. Titanium increases creep strength by forming special nitrides. On the other hand titanium shows a strong tendency to segregation and banding.
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VANADIUM :-

Vanadium as an alloying element refines primary grain, as well as the cast structures. Vanadium is strong carbide former, increases Wear resistance. It produces retention of cutting edges and high temperature strength. Therefore is preferred as an additional alloy material in high speed steel, hot works and high temperature steels. Vanadium improves red hardness and diminishes over heating sensibility. It reduces the gamma area and shifts the curic point to higher temperature. It makes the steel resistant to high pressure hydrogenation. Since vanadium refines the grain and through carbide forming impedes air hardening, it favours the Weldability of quench and temper steels. Wolfram is a powerful carbide former, which are very hard. The gamma area improves toughness and inhibits again growth. Wolfram increases hot strength, hardness retention and wear resistance at high temperatures and cutting power. It impairs resistance to high temperature oxidation. It is a favourite alloying element in high speed, hot work steel, high temperature steel and superhard steel. Its high specific weight becomes evident above all in high tungsten high speed steel and hot work steel. Since it boosts coercive force, it is utilized for permanent magnet alloys.

WOLFRAM :( TUNGSTEN )

ZIRCONIUM :-

Carbide former is used metallurgy as additional element for deoxidation, denitration and desulphurization, as it leaves hardly and deoxidation products. It is added to fully killed sulphurised free-cutting steel to promote a favourable sulphide formation and to prevent red shortness. Zirconium lengthens the life of heat conducting materials and reduces the gamma zone.

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