The key difference between mild steel and high tensile steel is that high tensile steel has a high strength than mild steel.
Mild steel and high tensile steel are two types of carbon steel. Carbon steel contains up to 2.1% carbon by weight. Mild steel contains a comparatively low amount of carbon by weight. On the other hand, high tensile steel also contains a low amount of carbon, but it has some different alloying elements with high tensile strength.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Mild Steel
3. What is High Tensile Steel
4. Side by Side Comparison – Mild Steel vs High Tensile Steel in Tabular Form
5. Summary
What is Mild Steel?
Mild steel is a very common type of carbon steel, which has a low amount of carbon by weight. The amount of carbon in this steel is around 0.2%. The other major elements present in it are manganese, silicon, sulfur, and phosphorus. Mild steel is mainly useful in the industry. However, we also use this material in the equipment we use in our day to day life.
Figure 01: Steel Bars
An important property of mild steel is that it is not brittle. Moreover, it does not readily undergo a tempering process and has considerable strength. Also, it is a good electrical conductor. Therefore, we can use it in welding. Besides, it has high malleability because of the low carbon content. Due to its ferromagnetic properties, we can easily magnetize mild steel. Furthermore, this material is suitable for structural purposes. However, compared to low carbon steel, this material has more carbon and thus is prone to corrosion.
What is High Tensile Steel?
High tensile steel is a type of mild carbon steel which has a high yield strength and tensile strength. It contains different alloying elements in order to increase the tensile strength of the steel. These elements include chromium, nickel, molybdenum, silicon, manganese and vanadium.
Moreover, it has considerably high fatigue strength and toughness as well. However, it shows a reduced plastic ductility and brittle fracture compared to many forms of mild steel.
What is the Difference Between Mild Steel and High Tensile Steel?
Mild steel is a very common type of carbon steel, which has a low amount of carbon by weight. High tensile steel is a type of mild carbon steel which has a high yield strength and tensile strength. So, the key difference between mild steel and high tensile steel is that high tensile steel has a high strength than mild steel. High tensile steel shows a reduced plastic ductility and brittle fracture compared to many forms of mild steel. Moreover, the carbon content of high tensile steel is higher than mild steel.
The below infographic shows more comparisons relating the difference between mild steel and high tensile steel.
Summary – Mild Steel vs High Tensile Steel
Mild steel and high tensile steel are two forms of carbon steel forms. High tensile steel is a form of mild steel because both these contain a low amount of carbon. The key difference between mild steel and high tensile steel is that high tensile steel has a high strength than mild steel.
Reference:
1. “Mild Steel – Properties of Mild Steel (Mechanical Properties).” Mild Steel – Properties of Mild Steel (Mechanical Properties), Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Stainless Steel Carbon Steel Mild Steel Duplex Steel nickel Alloys Titanium CuproNickel Round Bar” By Jatinsanghvi – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia