This month we want to answer the most frequently asked questions about Steel, what is steel, what are its properties, etc.
Link to CHY
This is a continuation of our Questions Series. Last time we covered commonly asked questions about CNC machining (stay tuned for part 2 of that).
When Iron is alloyed with carbon and other elements it is called steel. The resultant alloy has applications as the main component of buildings, infrastructure, tools, ships, automobiles, machines, various appliances, and weapons. The uses are myriad because of steels high tensile strength and relatively low cost.
The earliest examples of steel have been discovered in Turkey and date back to BC. The modern production of steel dates back to Sir Henry Bessemer of England who discovered a method of production we high volume and low cost.
Iron is a naturally occurring element found in nature within Iron Ore. Iron is the main component of Steel, which is an alloy of Iron with the main addition of Steel. Steel is stronger than Iron, with better tension and compression properties.
When alloyed with other metals such as aluminum or vanadium, titanium alloy is stronger than many types of steel. In terms of sheer strength, the best titanium alloys beat low to medium grade stainless steels. However, the highest grade of stainless steel is stronger than titanium alloys.
Carbon steels contain Iron, Carbon, and other alloying elements such as Manganese, Silicon, and Copper.
Alloy steels contain common alloy metals in varying proportions, which makes this type of steel suitable for specific applications.
Although stainless steels comprise of several metal alloys, they usually contain 10-20 percent chromium, making it the primary alloying element. Compared to the other forms of steel, stainless steels are approximately 200 times more resistant to rusting, especially the types that contain at least 11 percent chromium. You can read more about stainless steel here.
This type of steel is alloyed at very high temperatures and often contains hard metals like tungsten, cobalt, molybdenum, and vanadium. Since they are not only heat resistant but also durable, tool steels are often used for cutting and drilling equipment.
Type 440 &#; which is a higher grade of cutlery steel which has a higher percentage of carbon, has much better edge retention when properly heat-treated. It can be hardened to approximately Rockwell 58 hardness, making it one of the hardest stainless steels
One of the most frequently asked questions about steel is why isn&#;t steel classed as metal? Steel, being an alloy and therefore not a pure element, is not technically a metal but a variation on one instead. It&#;s partially composed of a metal, iron, but because it also has non-metal carbon in its chemical make-up, it&#;s not a pure metal.
304 Stainless Steel or Type 304 the most common grade; the classic 18/8 (18% chromium, 8% nickel) stainless steel. Outside of the US, it is commonly known as &#;A2 stainless steel&#;, in accordance with ISO (not to be confused with A2 tool steel)
Steel is a uniquely sustainable material because once it is made it can be used, as steel, forever. Steel is infinitely recycled, so the investment in making steel is never wasted and can be capitalized on by future generations.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article and we hope we&#;ve answered the most frequently asked questions about steel, if you have a question then go ahead and comment and we&#;ll do our best to answer it.
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In this Instructable, I will show you how to find some surprisingly good, and mostly inexpensive, samples of the elements. Many can be found in second hand shops, coin shops, superstores like Wal-Mart, or broken things that you take apart. You just have to know where to look. Scroll down and see for yourself!
Some of the things we will be looking for are:
Why collect?
Element collections are not just the playthings of wealthy eccentrics. Whether you are a lover of science, just curious, or want to make a collection of the elements, possessing samples is a great way to bring the periodic table to life. Even a partially completed element collection makes a wonderful educational tool, and can help to spark interest in science and chemistry in children. In fact, I think that every school should have at least a basic one.
Collecting elements presents its own unique challenges. For one, collecting them all is actually impossible! Also:
My advice is to enjoy collecting, whether you have two samples or twenty. Take your time; element collecting is a long-term project. Also, if you are unsatisfied with one of your samples, keep in mind that you can always buy a better sample later on. Finally, don't forget to tell people about your collection! That way, when other people run across good samples they will tell you about them or maybe even donate them to you.
How To Go About It
Obviously, you could use the internet and a credit card to buy samples of the elements. Searching for them offline, however, is much more fun, and is a great way to get your feet wet in the hobby. Unfortunately, there are very few resources to help with this kind of collecting. Starting out, I was discouraged by the seemingly vast amount of research and expense involved, and I think many others probably are as well. I hope this little guide will help you join in the fun, even if you are only casually interested. As with all great hobbies, you can learn a lot from element collecting. Here I will share my findings with you.
Going further
As your collection grows, you can build a shelf in the shape of the periodic table like the one pictured above to display it. People will instantly recognize the shape of the periodic table, and be drawn to it. To build one like mine, which cost me about $16, check out my instructable. Notice that the samples are not labeled, so people have to guess as to their identity! People who don&#;t care much about science may be impressed when you hand them an element they have never seen before, or have only seen in photographs.
A few notes before we begin:
The density, or specific gravity, of the elements is measured in grams per cubic centimeter (abbreviated g/cm3 or g/cc). This is useful for comparing the elements to each other or to water, which has a density of one gram per cubic centimeter. The density of aluminum, for example, is 2.7 g/cm3. This means that aluminum is 2.7 times as dense as
an equal volume of water. Heavier iron comes in at 7.874 g/cm3, while even heavier lead is 11.35 g/cm3.
The author takes full responsibility for the content of this instructable, and has made every effort to ensure its accuracy. However, due to the difficulty of backing up his findings with references to primary sources, he cannot guarantee the absence of errors. Sorry!
If you are new to this site, you should know that if you see boxes around things in the pictures, hover your cursor inside them to display additional information. Also, you can click on pictures to see them full size.
I anxiously await any questions, comments, and/or constructive criticism you may have. Also, let me know if you have anything to add (links to resources are helpful); you may be able to help me make this instructable more comprehensive!
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