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View Full Version : Carbon steel, mild steel and stainless steel


manojrpillai28
May 18, 2009, 10:12 AM
What is the difference between carbon steel, mild steel and stainless steel ?

Unknown008
May 18, 2009, 10:27 AM
Mild steel contains 0.16–0.29% carbon.
Carbon steel has a carbon content in the range of 0.30–1.70% by weight.
Stainless steel has a minimum of 11% chromium content by mass.

Only stainless steel does not corrode.

Perito
May 18, 2009, 02:09 PM
There are lots of stainless steels. Steel, by definition is an alloy containing carbon. The different alloyed elements give various steels their properties -- including strength, stiffness, brittleness, corrosion resistance, among others.

"Stainless Steels" don't corrode because one of their alloying metals (usually chromium or molybdenum) forms a passive migrates to the surface of the solid and forms a thin, hard oxide layer that is difficult to get through. In addition, there are electrochemical reasons chromium and some other elements are resistant to corrosion.