Chemical Composition of Steel

The chemical composition is the fundamental "recipe" of the steel. While steel is primarily an alloy of Iron (Fe) and Carbon (C), microscopic additions of other elements drastically alter its mechanical properties.

The Recipe: Adding Manganese (Mn) increases toughness, Chromium (Cr) adds corrosion resistance (creating stainless steel), while excess Sulfur (S) can lead to dangerous brittleness.

Significance: In a tube mill, the chemical composition (often tracked by a "Heat Number") dictates how easily the steel can be welded, bent, or galvanized.