ASTM A36 Carbon Steel vs. 50Cr-50Ni Alloy

ASTM A36 carbon steel belongs to the iron alloys classification, while 50Cr-50Ni alloy belongs to the otherwise unclassified metals. There are 21 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (10, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is ASTM A36 carbon steel and the bottom bar is 50Cr-50Ni alloy.

ASTM A36 (SS400, S275) Structural Carbon Steel 50Cr-50Ni (R20500) Casting Alloy

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		190
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		210

Elongation at Break, %		22
Elongation at Break, %		5.7

Poisson's Ratio		0.29
Poisson's Ratio		0.26

Shear Modulus, GPa		73
Shear Modulus, GPa		84

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		480
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		620

Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof), MPa		290
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof), MPa		390

Thermal Properties

Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g		250
Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g		350

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		470
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		490

Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		11
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		15

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Base Metal Price, % relative		1.8
Base Metal Price, % relative		50

Density, g/cm³		7.9
Density, g/cm³		8.0

Embodied Carbon, kg CO₂/kg material		1.4
Embodied Carbon, kg CO₂/kg material		7.9

Embodied Energy, MJ/kg		18
Embodied Energy, MJ/kg		110

Embodied Water, L/kg		44
Embodied Water, L/kg		350

Common Calculations

Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work), MJ/m³		92
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work), MJ/m³		31

Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience), kJ/m³		220
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience), kJ/m³		350

Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		13
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		15

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

Strength to Weight: Axial, points		17
Strength to Weight: Axial, points		21

Strength to Weight: Bending, points		17
Strength to Weight: Bending, points		20

Thermal Shock Resistance, points		16
Thermal Shock Resistance, points		14

Alloy Composition

Aluminum (Al), %		0
Aluminum (Al), %		0 to 0.25

Carbon (C), %		0 to 0.26
Carbon (C), %		0 to 0.1

Chromium (Cr), %		0
Chromium (Cr), %		48 to 52

Iron (Fe), %		99.25 to 100
Iron (Fe), %		0 to 1.0

Manganese (Mn), %		0
Manganese (Mn), %		0 to 0.3

Nickel (Ni), %		0
Nickel (Ni), %		44.5 to 52

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

Phosphorus (P), %		0 to 0.040
Phosphorus (P), %		0 to 0.020

Silicon (Si), %		0 to 0.4
Silicon (Si), %		0 to 1.0

Sulfur (S), %		0 to 0.050
Sulfur (S), %		0 to 0.020

Titanium (Ti), %		0
Titanium (Ti), %		0 to 0.5