How carbon content affects steel ?

Carbon is a crucial alloy element in steel, and its content directly affects the steel’s strength, hardness, plasticity, and toughness. Depending on the carbon content, steel can be classified into low-carbon, medium-carbon and high-carbon steel.

Specifically, the higher the carbon content, the lower the plasticity and toughness of steel. Low-carbon steel (carbon content <0.25%) has good plasticity and toughness, suitable for profile materials and stamping materials; medium-carbon steel (carbon content <0.6%) is suitable for mechanical parts; high-carbon steel is suitable for parts with high strength and high hardness, such as springs and chains.

For example, this is our company’s Inconel 825 bar. Its carbon content is usually kept low to ensure good corrosion resistance and easy machinability. It performs well in extreme conditions like high temperature and pressure, it is widely used in chemical, marine, and oil industries.