Page |1

Practical Classtest no: - 2

Study and Drawing of Microstructure of Steels of various compositions.

Subject: - Engineering Materials

Name: - Bhosale Vaibhav Naganath
Roll No: - M2A03
Faculty: - Mr. Bhalawankar M. Sir

Aim:-
Study and Drawing of Microstructure of Steels of various compositions.

Introduction: -
To prepare the specimens of pure metals like mild steels, low carbon steel and
High carbon steels and observes the microstructure of the same

Principle: -

Plain carbon steels are steels having carbon as the predominant alloying element and the
other alloying elements are either Nil or negligible though some amount of sulphur and
phosphorous are present. Normally the amounts are less than 0.05 percent and hence they are
not considered. The plain carbon steels are broadly classified in to low carbon steels with
carbon content less than 0.3 percent and medium carbon steels contain Carbon between 0.3 to
0.7. The high carbon steels contain carbon from 0.7 to 1.5 percent.

Procedure:-

The specimens of pure metals like Mild steel, Low carbon steel and high carbon steels are
mounted in a thermosetting material as explained in the experiment no. 1. Polish the
specimen by using (80,120,240,400and 600) grade emery papers. Subject the given specimen
to mirror like finish by using disc polishing machine and with suitable abrasive. Clean the
specimen with alcohol and wash it under the stream of flowing water. After washing the
specimen is dried. After drying apply the suitable etching agent for 30 to 60 sec. After
etching wash the specimen under the stream of flowing water. Dry the specimen with the help
of air blower. Place the specimen under the microscope for metallurgical studies. Draw the
micro structure and identify the material for the given specimen.

LOW CARBON STEEL:

 Page |2

As the microstructure shows the structure of the mild steel, it contains 25% pearlite and 75%
ferrite. The dark region defines the pearlite and bright portion is of ferrite. The properties of
low carbon steels are
The material is soft and ductile
It is easily weldable
It is cold workable
The tensile strength varies between 390 to 550 N/ mm2
The Brinell hardness number varies from115 to 140.
The application includes making steel wire, sheets, rivets, screws, pipe chain and structural
parts.

MEDIUM CARBON STEEL:

The microstructure reveals two phases are to be about 50% each. Hence the carbon content
can be accessed to be equal to it. The properties of medium carbon steels are invariably
between low and high carbon steels. The tensile strength varies between 75 to 800 N/ mm2
The medium carbon steels are used in manufacture of drop forging dies, die block plates,
punches, screws and valve springs etc.

HIGH CARBON STEEL:

Microstructure of high carbon steels consists of continuous network of cementite in matrix to
pearlite. This cementite structure is hard and brittle and hence has poor machinability. As
carbon content increases weldability and cold working decreases. They have high strength
and hardness. Its Tensile strength is up to 1400 N/mm2 hardness varies from 450 to 500
BHW.
 Page |3

High carbon steels are used in cutting machine tools, manufacturing cold dies and wheels for
railways.

PRECAUTIONS:
1) Polishing should be slow, sooth and flat.
2) Uniform pressure is applied throughout the polishing.

Advantages and Limitations: -

Steel is tensile. It has a high strength to weight ratio which means it has high strength per unit
mass. So no matter how large the overall structure is, the steel sections will be small and
lightweight, unlike other building materials.
Steel can be easily fabricated and produced massively. Steel sections can be produced off-site
at shop floors and then assembled onsite. This saves time and increases the efficiency of the
overall construction process.
Structural steel is very flexible. You can mold it into any shape, without changing its
properties. You can convert it into sheets or turn it into wires as per the design.
Structural steel is relatively cheap compared to other building materials.
It is very durable. Structural steel structures can withstand external pressures such as
earthquakes,         thunderstorms, and cyclones. A well-built steel structure can last up to 30
years if maintained well.

=LIMITATIONS==========
1. Steel is an alloy of iron. This makes it susceptible to corrosion. This problem can be
solved to some extent using anti-corrosion applications.
2. It has high maintenance costs  as it has to be painted to make it corrosion-resistant
3. There are extensive fireproofing costs involved as steel is not fireproof. In high
temperatures, steel loses its properties.
4. Buckling is an issue with steel structures. As the length of the steel column increases
the chances of buckling also increases.
5. Steel has a high expansion rate with changing temperatures. This can be detrimental
to the overall structure.
 Page |4

If you are on the lookout for structural steel fabricators, then reach out to us at the earliest. At
Northern Weldarc, we are a team of highly experienced structural steel fabricators. We
specialize in oil and gas, commercial, pulp and paper, and petrochemical industries.

Practical Applications: -

The many applications of steel demonstrate best the great versatility of this material. Most
often, steel consumers’ needs are met by carbon steels. Good examples are sheets for deep-
drawn automobile bodies and appliances made of low-carbon steels, medium-carbon
structural steels and plates employed in all kinds of construction, high-carbon railroad rails,
and wires at all carbon levels used for hundreds of items. The addition of costly alloys begins
when combinations of properties are requested that cannot be met by carbon steels.
High-strength low-alloy steels
The demand for high strength, good weldability, and higher resistance to
atmospheric corrosion is met by a group called the high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steels.
These grades have low carbon levels (e.g., 0.05 percent) and contain small amounts of one or
a combination of elements such as chromium, nickel, molybdenum, vanadium, titanium,
and niobium. HSLA steels are used for oil or gas pipelines, ships, offshore structures, and
storage tanks.
Free-machining steels
This group, developed for good machinability and fabricated into bolts, screws, and nuts,
contains up to 0.35 percent sulfur and 0.35 percent lead; also, it sometimes has small
additions of tellurium or selenium. These elements form many inclusions, which are normally
avoided but are desired in this application because they break the long, hazardous strings
of metal that are usually formed during machining into small chips. This keeps tools and
workpieces clean, improves tool life, and permits machining at higher speeds.

Wear-resistant steels
Another group is the wear-resistant steels, made into wear plates for rock-processing
machinery, crushers, and power shovels. These are austenitic steels that contain about 1.2
percent carbon and 12 percent manganese. The latter element is a strong austenizer; that is, it
keeps steel austenitic at room temperature. Manganese steels are often called Hadfield steels,
after their inventor, Robert Hadfield.
Bearing steels
One important group that well demonstrates the enormous impact of material developments
on engineering possibilities is the steels used for roller and ball bearings. These steels often
contain 1 percent carbon, 1.2 percent chromium, 0.25 percent nickel, and 0.25 percent
molybdenum and are very hard after heat treatment. Most important, however, they are
 Page |5

extremely clean, having been purged of practically all inclusions by vacuum treatment of the
liquid steel. Inclusions are very harmful in bearings because they create stress concentrations
that result in low fatigue strength.