Types of Steels

• Stainless steel is a popular choice in kitchen utensils. ballyscanlon/Stockbyte/Getty Images

  Steel is a metal alloy that has iron as the main component. Other elements used to make steel act as hardening agents and include carbon, manganese, chromium, vanadium, tungsten, nickel and aluminum. The different types of steels are related to their components and present distinct properties and applications. Types of steels include stainless, dual phase and transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steels.

Stainless Steels

• Stainless steels have a high content of chromium, which make them resistant to corrosion, according to the University of Cambridge. Stainless steels are used in the harsh environments of the chemical, power generation and oil production industries. However, they are also used to produce goods where both aesthetic appearance and corrosion resistance are important, such as furniture, automotive trims and cutlery. In addition to iron, molybdenum, nickel and nitrogen are used to make stainless steels.

Dual Phase Steels

• The term dual phase steel refers to alloys containing ferrite and martensite, which are allotropes of iron. Allotropy happens when a chemical element has the ability of arranging its atoms in different ways, originating distinct compounds. Diamond and graphite are allotropes of carbon, for instance. According to the University of Cambridge, dual phase steels offer good formability and strength and are mostly used in the automotive industry.

Transformation-Induced Plasticity (TRIP)

• Transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steel features high strength and high ductility, making it suitable for forming. According to Materials Science Forum, TRIP steels contain carbon, manganese, aluminum and silicon in different proportions. The production of TRIP steel involves special heat treatments to stabilize austenite or gamma phase iron contained in the alloy. According to University of Cambridge, TRIP steels are used to make items such as cars and bikes.