Steel Properties Change when it is treated with heat

The heat treatment process involves heating steel to a temperature, then soaking it at that temperature before cooling it off. The addition of heat to steel is generally considered to be heating the steel to alter its properties or state. Depending on the outcome desired, steel treatment temperatures can vary from very hot to extremely cold.

Why is heat treating steel so important?

Steel can be classified in a variety of states. These include stainless steel and high-carbon steel. Carbon is the main alloy component, which can impact steel's hardness as well as its functional properties. Stainless steel is different from high-carbon steel due to the addition of chromium to its design. This makes it reasonably resistant to surface erosion, which can be often caused by moisture and air exposure.

These are the key rules for heat treatment.

There are many aspects that can be observed when looking at the main substance of steel, iron. Let's start with its stability at normal room temperatures. It has magnetic properties, a dense mass, but is malleable, and also retains its flexibility.

A third thing is that steel can be exposed to heat. Iron oxide is formed when the oxygen in the atmosphere reacts with the steel's periphery. As heat increases, the iron-oxygen interaction becomes more aggressive and thin leaves form. This is what we call scale.

Steel is considered to be in the Ferrite state if the temperature of the steel crystals is below 190 Celsius. This type of steel is also known as mild steel. It undergoes a new molecular structure, Face-Centred Cubic (FCC), when it is heated from 912 to 1,394 degrees C. This form of steel has more carbon than the Ferrite. It loses its magnetic properties but remains ductile. This molecular structure is called Austenite.

The following scenario will give you an example of the various forms and states. You can compare the Ferrite molecular structure in steel to h2o. Water can be found in three forms: liquid (drinking water), solid (ice), and vapor (steam). Although H2O is always present in all three phases or conditions, they can be found in totally different forms. Similar to Ferrite, Austenite and other forms of steel are distinct.

This brief overview outlines the molecular changes that steel undergoes during heat treatment to create various steel states for industrial building resources and equipment. There are many foundries that produce high-quality steel in the United Kingdom. You can search the internet for more details.