Carbon steel vs mild steel

Is carbon steel the same as mild steel? Check 7 Major differences between carbon steel and mild steel

Steel is a widespread material useful in many industries. Among them carbon and mild steel are the most popular ones. Here are some of the striking differences between carbon steel and mild steel:

1. Mild steel has a lower carbon content of 0.05-0.25%, whereas carbon steel has moderate to high carbon content.
2. The mechanical strength of mild steel is lesser when compared to carbon steel.
3. Mild steel has high ductility, unlike carbon steel which has moderate to low ductility.
4. The corrosion resistance of both carbon and mild steel is poor.
5. Mild steel has better weldability when compared to carbon steel.
6. The cost of mild steel is lesser when compared to carbon steel.
7. Mild steel has high tensile strength and is applicable in high-stress environments, unlike carbon steel.

Types of carbon steel

Carbon steel comes in three different types:

• Low Carbon Steel
  1. Another name for Low-carbon steel is Mild Steel
  2. They have 0.05%-0.25% carbon content
  3. They have high ductility but low strength when compared to other carbon steel material
  4. They are popular in manufacturing and construction applications.
• Medium Carbon Steel
  1. Medium carbon steel has a carbon content ranging between 0.3%-0.6%.
  2. They are stronger materials and are helpful in robust applications.
  3. They are ductile materials but are highly brittle.
  4. They are useful in automotive, machinery, and architectural applications.
• High Carbon Steel
  1. The high carbon steel has a carbon content ranging between 0.6%-1.5%.
  2. They have much higher strength and hardness when compared to the other two varieties.
  3. They are brittle materials
  4. They are applicable in hand tools, springs, and knife blades.

Low Carbon Steel

Medium Carbon Steel

High Carbon Steel

Carbon steel vs. mild steel price per kg comparison in India

India’s average carbon steel price is Rs.73/- per kg, and mild steel is Rs.65/- per kg.

Carbon steel vs. mild steel corrosion

Both mild steel and carbon steel are susceptible to corrosion due to the presence of Iron in their composition.

In corrosive environments, the Iron in these materials reacts with oxygen to form ferrous oxide making the material corrode. However, mild steel has slightly better corrosion resistance than carbon steel because of its surface’s thin coating of zinc.

Which is better, mild steel or carbon steel?

Both mild steel and carbon steel have carbon content with other alloying metals. While debating about which one is better, it is ideal to understand its use according to the applications. Carbon Steel is a more robust yet brittle material when compared to mild steel. Hence, they are helpful in high-strength applications, like automotive components, machinery parts, hand tools, etc. Mild steel is a low-strength material with high ductility and durability. Hence, it is helpful in the construction and manufacturing industry.

Difference between mild steel and high carbon steel

Mild steel has a lower carbon content of 0.05%-0.25%, and High carbon steel has a carbon content of 0.6%-1.5%. Mild steel has lesser strength when compared to high-carbon steel. However, high-carbon steel is a brittle material, unlike mild steel.

The ductility of mild steel is higher than high carbon steel. Mild steel is popular in manufacturing and construction industries, while high carbon steel is applicable in high-strength environments, like hand tools, knife blades, etc.

Black steel vs. mild steel

Black steel is made of iron and is not galvanized. However, mild steel also has iron and is galvanized with thin surface layer of zinc. Mild steel provides corrosion resistance when compared with black steel.

However, black steel has higher strength than mild steel. Black steel is cost effective unlike mild steel. Mild steel has better weldability than black steel. You can choose the material based on your application.

Plain carbon steel vs. mild steel

The carbon steel variants are highly useful for several applications, like construction, manufacturing, automotive, etc. You can choose the suitable material according to your application.