Types of ferrous metals and their uses

Types of ferrous metals and their uses

General Introduction of Metals

Types of Metals and their Uses: Importance of metals and advances in manufacturing processes necessitated the Industrial Revolution. This revolution has contributed to the exponential growth of human civilization to where we are today. Today, we see numerous types of metals around us. From the nib of your pen to the big steel bridge, everything big or small is made of metal. To our surprise, more than eighty different types of metals are found in the world today.

Types of Metals

Metals are found to exist in 2 main types: ferrous metals are those that contain iron and non-ferrous metals that do not contain iron.

 

A) Ferrous Metals

The word ferrous itself comes from the Latin word ferrum, which means the metal compound iron. Metals that have a substantial amount of iron in their composition are not classified as ferrous metals.

The iron present in ferrous metals gives them certain properties such as magnetism, high strength and hardness. However, their properties will disagree widely when looking at the broad range of alloy parts from which they are made. Metallic Materials Metals rust once exposed to wet conditions because they require a high carbon content.
Some common metal materials include metal steel, wrought iron, and iron. These metals are valued for their durability and strength. Steel – called extra structure steel – can be a major component in the industry and is employed in the tallest skyscrapers and longest bridges.
Ferrous metals are also used in shipping containers, industrial piping, vehicles, railroad tracks, and many commercial and domestic appliances. Metallic Materials Metals have a high carbon content which is generally responsible for rusting once wet. There are 2 exceptions to the current rule: iron resists rust due to its purity, and stainless-steel is protected from rust by the presence of metallic elements.
Most metals of ferrous nature are highly magnetic thus making them a very useful material for making motors and electrical applications etc. Using ferrous metals on your icebox door allows you to pin your search list with magnets.

1. Steel:

Steel is made by adding iron to carbon which hardens the iron. Steel became more durable as various components such as metallic elements and nickel were introduced. Steel is made by heating and melting ore in furnaces. The steel will be broached from the furnace and poured into molds to produce steel bars. Steel is widely used in development and manufacturing industries.

A) Stainless Steel

Stainless steel consists of higher chromium content. This makes it 200 times more corrosion resistant than low carbon steel. It is widely used for making kitchen utensils, piping, surgical and dental instruments.

B) Tool Steel

Tool steel is a special variety of steel used for forging cutting and drilling tools. The most important property is their high hardness making them an ideal choice for tool making. Tool steel consists of molybdenum, vanadium, cobalt and tungsten as its main ingredients.

2. Carbon Steel:

Carbon steel incorporates a higher carbon content than other types of steel, eventually making it extremely hard. It is commonly used in making machine tools, drills, blades, taps. It is capable of having a very sharp cutting edge.

A) Low Carbon Steel

The percentage of carbon in low carbon steel is up to 0.25%. Low carbon steel is also called mild steel. This steel variant is mostly used for tubing in medium pressure applications. Reinforcing bars and I-beams in construction are usually made of mild steel only. Applications involving large amounts of steel without much forming or bending use mild steel. For example - Ship's hull.

B) Medium Carbon Steel

The percentage of carbon is 0.25…0.6%. Medium carbon steel is used where high tensile strength and ductility are required. It is commonly used in gearing and shafts, railway wheels and rails, steel beams in buildings and bridges, pressure vessels (cold gases should not be stored because they crack at low temperatures).

C) High Carbon Steel

If there is 0.6% of carbon, it is called high carbon steel. This steel is harder and more brittle. It is used in making chisels and cutting tools. It has considerable hardness and good resistance to material wear. Its other applications include use in presses and for making drill bits.

3. Alloy Steel:

Alloy steels incorporate metallic elements such as nickel and Ti to provide greater strength and stiffness without increasing weight. Stainless-steel is a very important steel made with chromium. Alloy steels are used in construction, machine tools and electrical components.

4. Cast Iron:

Cast iron is an alloy made of iron, carbon, etc. Wrought iron is brittle and resistant to fatigue and wear. It is used in water pipes, machine tools, automobile engines and stoves.

5. Wrought Iron:

Wrought iron is an alloy with a very low carbon content that can be said to be virtually pure iron. Throughout the production process, some slag additions occur that provide iron with remarkable resistance to corrosion and reaction, but are low in hardness and fatigue strength. Iron is used for fences and railings, agricultural implements, nails, wires, chains and numerous ornaments.

B) Non-Ferrous Metals

Non-ferrous metals do not contain much iron and are much more attractive because they require semi-conductive, non-magnetic and light weight properties. The growing demand for non-ferrous metals means that they are generally preferred over metallic element metals (ferrous metals).

Non-ferrous metals can also be distinguished by their plasticity. This implies that they will be reshaped and reused, usually without losing their valuable properties. This makes them ideal for deepening the economic industry.
Some common examples of non-ferrous metals are zinc, tin, lead and copper and even highly precious metals such as gold and silver. Their main advantage over metallic materials is their plasticity.

They even have no iron content, which resists rust and corrosion and ultimately makes them ideal for signs on gutters, liquid pipes, roofs, and exterior doors. Finally, they are non-magnetic, which is very important for several electronic and wiring applications.

1. Aluminum: 

Aluminum is light-weight, soft and low strength. The metal is well hardened, forged, machined and welded. It is not suitable for high-temperature environment. Due to the light weight of metal, it is a decent option for carrying craft and food can production. The metal is additionally used in castings, pistons, railroads, cars and housewares.

2. Copper:

Copper is red in color, highly malleable, malleable and has high physical properties for electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity. Copper has major uses in the electrical business in cables and various conductors. It also finds its use in cartridges, sheet roofing, bearings and status. Copper is additionally used to make brass, an allied alloy of zinc and copper.

3. Lead:

Lead can be a soft, heavy, malleable metal with a relatively low melting point and low durability. It will face corrosion from wet and heavy acids. Lead is widely used in power cables, batteries, building construction and fasteners.

4. Zinc:

Zinc can be a medium to low strength metal with an alarmingly low melting temperature. It will simply be machined, but sometimes heated to avoid crystal cracking. Zinc is commonly used for electrical purposes such as galvanizing, the process of applying a protective zinc coating to iron or steel to prevent rust.

5. Tin:

Tin is incredibly soft and malleable, with low tolerances. It is usually used to coat the steel to prevent corrosion. Tinplate steel is employed to make tin cans for carrying food. In the late nineteenth century, tin foil was commonly used to wrap food products, but has since been mostly replaced by aluminum foil. Tin can also be alloyed with copper to provide tin brass and bronze.

6. Brass:

Brass is basically an alloy made of copper and zinc. The amount of each metal may vary based on the desired electrical and mechanical properties of the metal. Brass also contains small amounts of other metallic elements such as aluminum, lead, and manganese.

Brass is commonly used for low friction applications such as locks, bearings, plumbing, tools and fittings. It is an important metal in inherently safe applications to prevent sparks and allow use in flammable environments.

7. Bronze:

Bronze is another popular alloy of copper. The only difference is that bronze contains tin and not zinc. When other elements such as phosphorus, manganese, silicon and aluminum are added to bronze, it can improve its properties and suitability for a particular application.

Bronze has the following properties- It is brittle, tough and resists fatigue efficiently. It also exhibits adequate electrical and thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance. Bronze is mostly used for making mirrors, reflectors, electrical connectors etc. Due to its remarkable corrosion resistance, it is used in submerged parts and ship fittings.

8. Titanium:

Titanium is a major engineering metal because it is strong and at the same time remarkably light. It has the required thermal stability even at high temperatures up to 480°C. Due to such important properties, it finds application in the aerospace industry, a use case in the production of military equipment, medical applications (due to low corrosion resistance).
Titanium finds wide applications in the chemical and sporting goods industries.

9. Cobalt:

Cobalt finds its application in the manufacture of blue pigment in paints and dyes since ancient times. In modern times, this metal is mainly used to make wear-resistant, high-strength steel alloys. Cobalt is usually a by-product of copper and nickel mines and is rarely mined on its own.

10. Nickel:

Nickel is one of the most common metals used in various places. Nickel is mostly used in the manufacture of stainless steel, to increase the metal's strength and corrosion resistance. About 70% of the nickel produced in the world finds its application in making stainless steel.

11. Tungsten:

Tungsten metal is known for its highest melting point and highest tensile strength among all pure metals. These two properties make tungsten a very useful metal.
About 50% of all tungsten produced is used to make tungsten carbide. It is a very hard material used to make cutting tools (for mining and metalworking), abrasives and heavy machinery.