What is steel used for?

By far the most widely used material for building the world’s infrastructure and industries, it is used to fabricate everything from sewing needles to oil tankers. In addition, the tools required to build and manufacture such articles are also made of steel.

Where did steel come from?

The process was introduced to England in about 1614 and used to produce such steel by Sir Basil Brooke at Coalbrookdale during the 1610s. The raw material for this process were bars of iron. During the 17th century, it was realized that the best steel came from oregrounds iron of a region north of Stockholm, Sweden.

What are the different types of steel?

The principal types of steels include: Plain carbon steel contains no appreciable alloying element other than carbon itself, and, depending on the carbon content, is classified as low-, medium-, or high-carbon.

What are the characteristics of steel?

As a metal, steel is characterized as being strong; fatigue-, impact-, and creep-resistant; electrically- and thermally-conductive; heavy; temperature-resistant; and fairly hard as compared with other materials such as wood, polymers, or ceramics. Steel is fabricated by removing impurities from pig iron in a furnace.