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ASTM A231 Spring Steel vs. ASTM A321 Carbon Steel

Both ASTM A231 spring steel and ASTM A321 carbon steel are iron alloys. Both are furnished in the quenched and tempered condition. They have a very high 99% of their average alloy composition in common. There are 31 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (1, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is ASTM A231 spring steel and the bottom bar is ASTM A321 carbon steel.

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Brinell Hardness 540
190
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa 190
190
Elongation at Break, % 14
21
Fatigue Strength, MPa 1000
270
Poisson's Ratio 0.29
0.29
Reduction in Area, % 46
39
Shear Modulus, GPa 73
73
Shear Strength, MPa 1080
420
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa 1790
670
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof), MPa 1570
390

Thermal Properties

Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g 250
250
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical, °C 420
400
Melting Completion (Liquidus), °C 1460
1460
Melting Onset (Solidus), °C 1410
1420
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K 470
470
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K 52
51
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K 13
12

Electrical Properties

Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume, % IACS 7.3
7.1
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific), % IACS 8.4
8.1

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Base Metal Price, % relative 2.3
1.8
Density, g/cm3 7.8
7.8
Embodied Carbon, kg CO2/kg material 2.0
1.4
Embodied Energy, MJ/kg 28
18
Embodied Water, L/kg 51
46

Common Calculations

Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work), MJ/m3 230
120
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points 13
13
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points 24
24
Strength to Weight: Axial, points 64
24
Strength to Weight: Bending, points 42
22
Thermal Diffusivity, mm2/s 14
14
Thermal Shock Resistance, points 53
21

Alloy Composition

Carbon (C), % 0.48 to 0.53
0 to 0.55
Chromium (Cr), % 0.8 to 1.1
0
Iron (Fe), % 96.7 to 97.7
98.1 to 99.25
Manganese (Mn), % 0.7 to 0.9
0.6 to 0.9
Phosphorus (P), % 0 to 0.040
0 to 0.040
Silicon (Si), % 0.15 to 0.35
0.15 to 0.35
Sulfur (S), % 0 to 0.040
0 to 0.050
Vanadium (V), % 0.15 to 0.3
0