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steel, alloy of iron and carbon in which the carbon content ranges up to 2 percent (with a higher carbon content, the material is defined as cast iron). By far the most widely used material for building the world’s infrastructure and industries, it is used to fabricate everything from sewing needles to oil tankers.
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon with improved strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Because of its high tensile strength and low cost, steel is one of the most commonly manufactured materials in the world. Steel is used in buildings, as concrete reinforcing rods, in bridges, infrastructure, tools, ships, trains ...
At its core, steel is composed of iron and carbon, but the amount of carbon, level of impurities, and additional alloying elements all contribute to what grade steel is classified. Each steel grade has its unique properties and typical end-use.
This article will define steel, its composition, types, properties, and applications. What Is Steel? Steel, in its simplest form, is iron metal that’s been alloyed with less than 2% carbon.
Steel is an alloy typically consisting of iron and carbon along with small amounts of manganese, silicon, phosphorus, sulfur, and oxygen. The amount of carbon content present ranges from 0.02% to 2.14% and the presence of manganese is around 1%.
The composition chart above represents typical ranges for basic.
In essence, steel is composed of iron and carbon, although it is the amount of carbon, as well as the level of impurities and additional alloying elements that determine the properties of each steel grade. The carbon content in steel can range from 0.1%-1.5%, but the most widely used grades of steel contain only 0.1%-0.25% carbon.