EN 1.7221 (G26CrMo4) Cast Steel
EN 1.7221 steel is an alloy steel formulated for casting. 1.7221 is the EN numeric designation for this material. G26CrMo4 is the EN chemical designation.
It has a moderately low embodied energy among cast alloy steels. In addition, it can have a moderately low ductility and has a fairly low base cost.
The properties of EN 1.7221 steel include two common variations. This page shows summary ranges across both of them. For more specific values, follow the links immediately below. The graph bars on the material properties cards further below compare EN 1.7221 steel to: cast alloy steels (top), all iron alloys (middle), and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.
Mechanical Properties
Brinell Hardness
200 to 230
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
190 GPa 27 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
11 to 17 %
Fatigue Strength
290 to 390 MPa 41 to 56 x 103 psi
Impact Strength: V-Notched Charpy
20 to 38 J 15 to 28 ft-lb
Poisson's Ratio
0.29
Shear Modulus
73 GPa 11 x 106 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
650 to 780 MPa 94 to 110 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
430 to 630 MPa 62 to 91 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
250 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
420 °C 790 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
1460 °C 2660 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
1420 °C 2590 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
470 J/kg-K 0.11 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
44 W/m-K 26 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
13 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
7.3 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
8.4 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
2.4 % relative
Density
7.8 g/cm3 490 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
1.5 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
20 MJ/kg 8.5 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
51 L/kg 6.1 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
83 to 98 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
490 to 1050 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
13 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
24 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
23 to 27 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
21 to 24 points
Thermal Diffusivity
12 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
19 to 23 points
Alloy Composition
Among cast alloy steels, the composition of EN 1.7221 steel is notable for containing comparatively high amounts of chromium (Cr) and manganese (Mn). Chromium is used to improve corrosion resistance and most mechanical properties (particularly at higher temperatures). Manganese is used to improve hardenability and surface quality.
| Fe | 96.8 to 98.3 | |
| Cr | 0.8 to 1.2 | |
| Mn | 0.5 to 0.8 | |
| Si | 0 to 0.6 | |
| C | 0.22 to 0.29 | |
| Mo | 0.15 to 0.3 | |
| S | 0 to 0.030 | |
| P | 0 to 0.025 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
EN 10293: Steel castings - Steel castings for general engineering uses
ASM Specialty Handbook: Carbon and Alloy Steels, J. R. Davis (editor), 1996
Manufacture and Uses of Alloy Steels, Henry D. Hibbard, 2005
Ferrous Materials: Steel and Cast Iron, Hans Berns and Werner Theisen, 2008
Steels: Processing, Structure, and Performance, 2nd ed., George Krauss, 2015