SAE-AISI L3 Steel vs. SAE-AISI L2 Steel
Both SAE-AISI L3 steel and SAE-AISI L2 steel are iron alloys. Their average alloy composition is basically identical.
For each property being compared, the top bar is SAE-AISI L3 steel and the bottom bar is SAE-AISI L2 steel.
Metric UnitsUS Customary Units
Mechanical Properties
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa | 190 | |
190 |
Poisson's Ratio | 0.29 | |
0.29 |
Shear Modulus, GPa | 72 | |
72 |
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa | 600 to 2250 | |
590 to 1960 |
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g | 250 | |
250 |
Melting Completion (Liquidus), °C | 1450 | |
1450 |
Melting Onset (Solidus), °C | 1410 | |
1410 |
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K | 470 | |
470 |
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K | 43 | |
44 |
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K | 13 | |
12 |
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume, % IACS | 7.4 | |
7.3 |
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific), % IACS | 8.5 | |
8.4 |
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price, % relative | 2.5 | |
2.4 |
Density, g/cm3 | 7.8 | |
7.8 |
Embodied Carbon, kg CO2/kg material | 1.9 | |
1.9 |
Embodied Energy, MJ/kg | 27 | |
27 |
Embodied Water, L/kg | 53 | |
51 |
Common Calculations
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points | 13 | |
13 |
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points | 24 | |
24 |
Strength to Weight: Axial, points | 21 to 80 | |
21 to 70 |
Strength to Weight: Bending, points | 20 to 49 | |
20 to 45 |
Thermal Diffusivity, mm2/s | 12 | |
12 |
Thermal Shock Resistance, points | 18 to 67 | |
19 to 65 |
Alloy Composition
Carbon (C), % | 1.0 to 1.1 | |
0.45 to 1.0 |
Chromium (Cr), % | 1.3 to 1.7 | |
0.7 to 1.2 |
Copper (Cu), % | 0 | |
0 to 0.25 |
Iron (Fe), % | 95.5 to 97.3 | |
95.5 to 98.7 |
Manganese (Mn), % | 0.25 to 0.8 | |
0.1 to 0.9 |
Molybdenum (Mo), % | 0 | |
0 to 0.25 |
Phosphorus (P), % | 0 to 0.030 | |
0 to 0.030 |
Silicon (Si), % | 0.1 to 0.5 | |
0 to 0.5 |
Sulfur (S), % | 0 to 0.030 | |
0 to 0.030 |
Vanadium (V), % | 0.1 to 0.3 | |
0.1 to 0.3 |