Differences between Carbon Steel and Stainless Steel

As we all know, there are many types of steel on the market. For example, carbon steel and stainless steel are the most common ones, and their shapes are similar, which makes many people unable to distinguish them. So what is the difference between carbon steel and stainless steel? The following is introduced to you by the seamless pipe manufacturer.

Carbon steel and stainless steel have the same basic composition of iron and carbon. Their main difference is the alloy content - carbon steel has less than 10.5% alloy content, while stainless steel must contain 10.5% or more chromium. This essential difference is why carbon steel and stainless steel have unique physical properties.

The difference between carbon steel and stainless steel:

1. Different appearance
Stainless steel is composed of chromium, nickel and other metals, so the appearance of stainless steel is bright silver, smooth in appearance, and has very good gloss. The composition of carbon steel is an alloy of carbon and iron, so the color of carbon steel is gray and the surface is rougher than stainless steel.

2. Different corrosion resistance
Both carbon steel and stainless steel contain iron. Everyone knows that iron elements will slowly oxidize when exposed to the environment, leading to surface rust. However, stainless steel has added chromium. Chromium combines with oxygen better than iron, forming a chromium oxide layer, which can directly protect the steel from degradation and corrosion. The chromium content of carbon steel will also be lower, so the small amount of chromium cannot form a chromium oxide layer, so the corrosion resistance of stainless steel will be better than that of carbon steel.

3. Different wear resistance
Carbon steel is harder than stainless steel, but its weight will be greater and its plasticity
Also lower. Therefore, in terms of wear resistance, carbon steel is more wear-resistant than stainless steel.

4. Different prices
In the process of making stainless steel, a certain amount of other alloys must be added, but carbon steel is completely different from adding a large amount of other alloys, so the price of stainless steel is far more expensive than carbon steel.

5. Different ductility

Generally speaking, steels with higher carbon content are hard and brittle, while steels with lower carbon content are ductile and tough. The ductility of stainless steel will be better than that of carbon steel, mainly because the nickel content in stainless steel is relatively high, and the ductility of these elements is also better, so the ductility of stainless steel will also be better. Carbon steel contains high carbon content, low nickel content, which can be ignored, and poor ductility.

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