ASTM A321 Carbon Steel vs. AWS E240

Both ASTM A321 carbon steel and AWS E240 are iron alloys. They have 65% of their average alloy composition in common. There are 22 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (11, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is ASTM A321 carbon steel and the bottom bar is AWS E240.

ASTM A321 Carbon Steel AWS E240 (W32410) Weld Metal

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		190
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		200

Elongation at Break, %		21
Elongation at Break, %		17

Poisson's Ratio		0.29
Poisson's Ratio		0.28

Shear Modulus, GPa		73
Shear Modulus, GPa		77

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		670
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		770

Thermal Properties

Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g		250
Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g		290

Melting Completion (Liquidus), °C		1460
Melting Completion (Liquidus), °C		1390

Melting Onset (Solidus), °C		1420
Melting Onset (Solidus), °C		1350

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		470
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		480

Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		51
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		15

Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		12
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		15

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Base Metal Price, % relative		1.8
Base Metal Price, % relative		14

Density, g/cm³		7.8
Density, g/cm³		7.7

Embodied Carbon, kg CO₂/kg material		1.4
Embodied Carbon, kg CO₂/kg material		3.0

Embodied Energy, MJ/kg		18
Embodied Energy, MJ/kg		42

Embodied Water, L/kg		46
Embodied Water, L/kg		160

Common Calculations

Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		13
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		14

Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		24
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		25

Strength to Weight: Axial, points		24
Strength to Weight: Axial, points		28

Strength to Weight: Bending, points		22
Strength to Weight: Bending, points		24

Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		14
Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		3.9

Thermal Shock Resistance, points		21
Thermal Shock Resistance, points		19

Alloy Composition

Carbon (C), %		0 to 0.55
Carbon (C), %		0 to 0.060

Chromium (Cr), %		0
Chromium (Cr), %		17 to 19

Copper (Cu), %		0
Copper (Cu), %		0 to 0.75

Iron (Fe), %		98.1 to 99.25
Iron (Fe), %		58.6 to 68.4

Manganese (Mn), %		0.6 to 0.9
Manganese (Mn), %		10.5 to 13.5

Molybdenum (Mo), %		0
Molybdenum (Mo), %		0 to 0.75

Nickel (Ni), %		0
Nickel (Ni), %		4.0 to 6.0

Nitrogen (N), %		0
Nitrogen (N), %		0.1 to 0.3

Phosphorus (P), %		0 to 0.040
Phosphorus (P), %		0 to 0.040

Silicon (Si), %		0.15 to 0.35
Silicon (Si), %		0 to 1.0

Sulfur (S), %		0 to 0.050
Sulfur (S), %		0 to 0.030