Melting Point of Steel – Low (Mild)-High Carbon Steel Melting Temperature (Temp)
Melting Point of Steel – Low (Mild), Medium & High Carbon Steel Melting Temperature (Temp)
The melting point of steel is 1300-1540°C (2370-2800°F), depending primarily on the chemical composition of the steel, which can affect the strength of the bonds between atoms. The stronger the bond strength between atoms, the higher the melting temperature.
The melting point of carbon steel depends on the carbon content, generally, the higher the carbon content in the steel, the lower its melting temperature. The melting point of stainless steel and other alloy steels is mainly affected by alloying elements. In addition, the melting temperature of steel is also affected by external pressure. As the external pressure increases, the melting temp of steel decreases. That is, steel will melt more easily and more rapidly when heated at higher pressures.
Why is the Melting Point of Steel a Range, Not an Exact Point?
As mentioned at the beginning, the steel melting point mainly depends on the strength of the bonds between the atoms in the chemical composition (alloying element).
All pure metals have stable melting points, for example, pure iron has a melting point of 2,800°F (1,538°C) because it has only one metallic element – “Fe”.
Unlike pure iron, steel has a variety of metallic elements, and each alloying element usually has a specified content range, which results in steel alloys with a wide melting temperature range. In addition, there are hundreds of steel grades, and the chemical composition of different grades of steel varies. Even for the same steel grade, the melting temperature is not exact, taking the most commonly used 304 stainless steel (also known as 18/8 stainless steel, containing 18-20% Cr and 8-10.5% Ni) as an example, the melting temperature range is 2550-2790 °F (1400-1530 °C), because the content of each alloying element is not a fixed value. In addition, steel manufacturers adjust the alloy ratio within the specified alloy content range according to their needs, and different batches of steel have slightly different metal element content. Therefore, you can only measure the melting point of steel with a specific chemical composition.
Melting Temperature of Various Steel Grades
Approximate Melting Temp of Various Steel Classification is listed below for reference:
- Melting temperature of steel: 1300-1540°C (2370-2800°F)
- Melting point of iron (Fe): 1538°C (2800°F);
- Stainless steel melting point: 1400-1530 °C (2550-2790 °F);
- Low carbon steel/Mild steel melting point: 1450-1530 °C (2640-2800 °F);
- Medium/High carbon steel melting temperature: 1425-1530 °C (2600-2800 °F);
- Galvanized steel melting point: 1400-1530 °C (2550-2790 °F);
- Cast iron melting temperature: 1200°C (2200°F);
- Wrought iron melting point: 1510 °C (2750 °F);
- Fe2O3 melting point: 1539 °C (2802 °F);
- High speed steel melting point: Around 1430 °C (2605 °F);
- Alloy steel melting temperature: 1400-1530 °C (2550-2790 °F);
- Cold rolled steel: 1425-1540 °C (2600-2800 °F)
| Approximate Melting Point of Various Steel Grades | ||
|---|---|---|
| Steel Grades | Celsius (°C) | Fahrenheit (°F) |
| Carbon Steel | 1425-1530 | 2600-2785 |
| Mild steel (low carbon) | 1450-1530 | 2640-2785 |
| High carbon steel | 1425-1510 | 2600-2750 |
| Medium carbon steel | 1425-1510 | 2600-2750 |
| A36 steel | 1425-1530 | 2600-2785 |
| S235 | 1450-1530 | 2640-2785 |
| AISI 1020 | 1515 | 2760 |
| Alloy Steel | 1400-1530 | 2550-2790 |
| AISI 4140 | 1425 | 2600 |
| 4340 steel | 1505 | 2740 |
| 9% Ni steel | 1500 | 2730 |
| Maraging steels (18Ni-200) | 1455 | 2650 |
| Stainless Steel | 1400-1530 | 2550-2790 |
| AISI 201 | 1400-1450 | 2550-2650 |
| AISI 304, 304L | 1400-1450 | 2550-2650 |
| AISI 316, 316L | 1375-1400 | 2500-2550 |
| AISI 405 | 1480-1530 | 2700-2790 |
| AISI 409 | 1480-1530 | 2700-2790 |
| AISI 420 | 1450-1510 | 2650-2750 |
| AISI 430 | 1425-1510 | 2600-2750 |
| AISI 440C | 1370-1480 | 2500-2700 |
| AISI 446 | 1425-1510 | 2600-2750 |
| 17-4 PH | 1400-1440 | 2560-2625 |
| AM 350 | 1400 | 2550 |
| Pure Iron (Fe) | 1538 | 2800 |
| Ingot iron | 1535 | 2795 |
| Wrought iron | 1510 | 2750 |
| Pig iron | 1200 | 2200 |
| Gray cast iron | 1175 | 2150 |
| Malleable iron | 1230 | 2250 |
| Ductile iron | 1175 | 2150 |
| Fe2O3 | 1539 | 2802 |
| Ni-Resists (15.5-35% Ni) | 1230 | 2250 |
| Duriron (14.5% Si) | 1260 | 2300 |
| Cast Stainless Steels | 1290-1510 | 2350-2750 |
| CA-15 | 1510 | 2750 |
| CA-40 | 1495 | 2725 |
| CB-7Cu-1 | 1510 | 2750 |
| CF-8 | 1425 | 2600 |
| CF-3M | 1400 | 2550 |
| CF-20 | 1415 | 2575 |
| CH-20 | 1425 | 2600 |
| CN-7M | 1455 | 2650 |
| HA | 1510 | 2750 |
| HC | 1495 | 2725 |
| HD | 1480 | 2700 |
| HE | 1455 | 2650 |
| HF | 1400 | 2550 |
| HH | 1370 | 2500 |
| HK | 1400 | 2550 |
| HL | 1425 | 2600 |
| HN | 1370 | 2500 |
| HP, HT, HU | 1345 | 2450 |
| HW, HX | 1290 | 2350 |
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