Melting Point of Steel

Steel is an alloy of iron. Almost 90% of steel manufactured, all over the world, is carbon steel, that is, an alloy of iron and carbon, with varying percentage of carbon (0.2 to 2.1% by weight). Pure iron is very soft and corrosive and cannot be used in an active environment, where iron can chemically react to form rusts of oxides or sulfides. Addition of carbon solves this problem by making steel less reactive and thus, preventing it from rusting, while preserving the desirable qualities of iron. Melting point is defined as the temperature at which the state of any matter changes from solid to liquid. For example, the melting point of ice is 0°C or 32°F, when it changes its state from solid ice to liquid water. Knowing the steel alloy's melting point is important for its fabrication into a utile form. So, let's find it out.

Melting Point of Steel

The melting point of steel depends on its type. Most steel types have traces of other elements (including metals) added to improve its corrosion resistance, ease of fabrication and strength. Their melting point depends on the percentage of other elements in the alloy. Generally, steel's melting point is around 1370°C (2500°F). Let's understand more about the types of steel alloys and their respective melting points. There are five main types of steel:

1. Carbon Steel: Steel with 0.05 to 0.15% of carbon is called mild or low carbon steel. It is also known as plain carbon steel. Apart from the main alloying component carbon, it contains traces of copper (0.6%), manganese (1.65%) and silicon (0.6%). The melting point of low carbon steel is 1410°C (2570°F). Carbon steel is further classified into medium carbon steel, high carbon steel and ultra-high carbon steel with melting temperature ranging from 1425-1540°C (2600-2800°F). Steel with 0.3 to 1.7% of carbon is called high carbon steel.
2. Stainless Steel: This is the most popular steel alloy, which is used mostly for making kitchen cutlery. Stainless steel is also known as inox steel or simply inox, and it is alloyed with 10.5% to 11% chromium by mass. There are five types of stainless steel, namely, austenitic, ferritic, martensitic, precipitation-hardening martensitic and duplex stainless steel grades. The melting point of stainless steel is 1510°C (2750°F). This is the same of a steel pipe, as it is made of stainless steel.
3. Maraging Steel: This type of steel is mainly a low carbon iron alloy, having nickel as its main alloying element (15 to 25% by weight). Melting point of maraging steel is 1413°C (2575°F). This steel is mostly used in making bicycle frames, fencing sword blades and golf club heads.
4. Alloy Steel: Steel alloyed with a number of elements, including 'other metals', in percentage between 1 and 50% by weight is called alloy steel. Alloy steels are of two groups, namely, low alloy steels and high alloy steels, the former being the more commonly used of the two. Low alloy steel's melting point is 1432°C (2610°F) and that of high alloy steel is 1415°C (2600°F).
5. Tool Steel: As the name suggests, this type is mainly used for making tools because it's the hardest variety of steel. It's a harder version of carbon and alloy steel, having a carbon percentage ranging from 0.7 to 1.4%. Manganese, chrome, nickel, tungsten, molybdenum, phosphorous and sulfur are some of the elements added in various proportions to make other types of tool steel. The melting point of tool steel varies in the range 1400 to 1425°C (2550 to 2600°F).

The importance of steel is known to one and all. One major merit of steel is ease of recycling without losing the physical properties in the process. The melting point of steel is an important characteristic and the following idiom would definitely hold true, 'strike while the iron is hot'!