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ASTM A321 Carbon Steel vs. SAE-AISI 1040 Steel

Both ASTM A321 carbon steel and SAE-AISI 1040 steel are iron alloys. Their average alloy composition is basically identical.

For each property being compared, the top bar is ASTM A321 carbon steel and the bottom bar is SAE-AISI 1040 steel.

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Brinell Hardness 190
160 to 180
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa 190
190
Elongation at Break, % 21
13 to 20
Fatigue Strength, MPa 270
220 to 340
Poisson's Ratio 0.29
0.29
Reduction in Area, % 39
40 to 45
Shear Modulus, GPa 73
73
Shear Strength, MPa 420
350 to 390
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa 670
570 to 640
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof), MPa 390
320 to 530

Thermal Properties

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

Electrical Properties

Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume, % IACS 7.1
7.0
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific), % IACS 8.1
8.0

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

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

Common Calculations

Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work), MJ/m3 120
79 to 96
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience), kJ/m3 400
270 to 760
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points 13
13
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points 24
24
Strength to Weight: Axial, points 24
20 to 23
Strength to Weight: Bending, points 22
19 to 21
Thermal Diffusivity, mm2/s 14
14
Thermal Shock Resistance, points 21
18 to 20

Alloy Composition

Carbon (C), % 0 to 0.55
0.37 to 0.44
Iron (Fe), % 98.1 to 99.25
98.6 to 99.03
Manganese (Mn), % 0.6 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
Sulfur (S), % 0 to 0.050
0 to 0.050