What is the difference between stainless steel and carbon steel?

Many customers will come to consult us, asking which is the better material: stainless steel or carbon steel?

Now, the steel casting foundry will explain the difference between carbon steel and stainless steel. Currently, there are more carbon steel castings and stainless steel castings available, but what is the difference between the two, and what is the performance difference between stainless steel and carbon steel?

1. There will be a difference in colour between the two: because stainless steel contains more chromium and nickel, its appearance is predominantly silver and shiny. Carbon steel, on the other hand, contains more carbon and iron alloys, and fewer other metal elements, so its appearance is mainly the colour of iron, which tends to be somewhat darker.

2. The carbon content differs between the two: the amount of carbon in the steel is the primary factor determining its performance. Typically, the steel casting foundry will not add a large number of other elements, and the carbon content is generally less than two percent. However, to maintain good corrosion resistance, the carbon content of stainless steel will be relatively low, not exceeding 1.2% at most.

3. The corrosion resistance differs between the two: due to the relatively small amount of alloying elements in carbon steel, its corrosion resistance is not as good as that of stainless steel, which contains more chromium and nickel metals, thus offering stronger corrosion resistance.

4. The content of alloying elements differs between the two: carbon steel contains relatively few alloying elements, and the amounts of manganese, sulphur, silicon, and phosphorus are also minimal. In contrast, stainless steel contains many more alloying elements.

5. The texture differs between the two: the surface of stainless steel is very smooth because it contains more other metal elements, while the surface of carbon steel is somewhat rough due to its higher iron content.

6. The magnetic properties differ between the two: the iron content in stainless steel is relatively low, so it is generally not attracted to magnets. In contrast, carbon steel has a magnetic surface because it contains more iron, making it attracted to magnets.I believe that through these differences explained by steel casting foundries, everyone can understand the distinction between carbon steel and stainless steel. If you wish to learn more details, you can contact us.