The Effects of Alloying Elements on the properties of Steel
Alloying element | Mechanical Properties | Magnetic Properties | |||||||||||||||||||
Silicon | ↑ | ↑ | ↑↑ | ↓ | ~ | ↓ | ↑↑↑ | ↑ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓↓↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | – | ↓↓ | ↑↑ | ↓↓ | – | ↓↓ |
Manganese in pearlitic steels | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ↑ | ~ | ↑ | ~ | ↓↓ | ↑ | ↓ | ~ | ~ | – | |||||
Manganese in austenitic steels | ↓↓↓ | ↑ | ↓ | ↑↑ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ↑↑ | ~ | – | ↓↓↓ | ↓↓↓ | ↓↓ | – | not magnetic | |||||
Chromium | ↑↑ | ↑↑ | ↑↑ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ↑ | ↑ | ↓↓↓ | ↑↑ | ↑ | ↓ | ~ | ↓↓↓ | ↑↑ | ↑↑↑ | ↑ | ↑↑ | |||
Nickel in pearlitic steels | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ↑ | ↓↓ | ~ | ↓↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | – | – | ↑↑ | ↑↑ | |||
Nickel in austenitic steels | ↓↓ | ↑ | ↓ | ↑↑↑ | ↑↑↓ | ↑↑↑ | ~ | ↑↑↑ | ↓↓ | ~ | ~ | ↓↓↓ | ↓↓↓ | ↓↓ | – | ↑↑ | not magnetic | ||||
Aluminium | – | – | – | – | ↓ | ↓ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ~ | ↓↓ | ~ | ↓↓ | ↑↑↑ | – | ↑↑ | ↑↑ | |||
Tungsten | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↓ | ↓ | ~ | ~ | ↑↑↑ | ↓↓ | ↑↑ | ↑↑↑ | ↓↓ | ↓↓ | ↓↓ | ↑ | – | ↑↑↑ | ↑↑↑ | |||
Vanadium | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ~ | ~ | ↑ | ↑ | ↑↑ | ↓↓ | ↑↑↑↑ | ↑ | ~ | ↓ | ↑ | ↑ | ||||||
Cobalt | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | ~ | ↑↑↑ | ↓ | ~ | ↓ | – | – | ↑↑ | ↑↑↑ | ↑↑↑ | |||||
Molybdenum | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↓ | ↓ | ↑ | ~ | ↑↑ | ↓↓ | ↑↑↑ | ↑↑ | ↓ | ↓ | ↑↑ | ↑↑ | – | ↑ | ||||
Copper | ↑ | ↑ | ↑↑ | ~ | ~ | ~ | – | ↑ | – | – | – | ↓↓↓ | ~ | ~ | – | ↑ | |||||
Sulphur | – | – | – | ↓ | ↓ | ↓ | – | – | – | – | – | ↓↓↓ | ↑↑↑ | – | – | ↓ | |||||
Phosphorous | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ | ↓ | ↓ | ↓↓↓ | – | – | – | – | – | ↓ | ↑↑ | – | – | – | |||||
↑ = Increase ↓ = Reduction ~ = Contant – = Not characteristic or unknown effect Several at arrows = More intensive |