Boron steel

Properties of boron steel - what does boron do in steel?

Boron steel is a wear-resistant steel mainly used for applications subject to abrasive wear. Boron is a substance added to the steel to improve its hardenability. The carbon content of the steel is low - it should be less than 0.40% to realise the benefits of boron. The advantage of this is that it results in a steel with very good weldability together with excellent wear resistance and machinability.It takes very little boron to change the hardenability in a positive direction. Even levels as low as 0.002% make a big difference. This makes boron steel a cost-effective alternative to other steels with comparable properties.

• Boron steel is also alloyed with chrome or manganese - sometimes both.
• Boron steel parts can be water-hardened and used untreated.
• As a wear steel, the properties of boron steel are adequate, although the toughness may be slightly less than other, more expensive alternatives.

This is boron - the element that helped Sweden get off the ground

Boron, borium in Latin, is a semi-metallic element. It is produced chemically but is also found in nature, albeit rarely. It was a Swedish chemist, Torben Bergman, who in 1785 laid the foundation for the chemical production of boron when he discovered the reaction between borax and mineral acids. It was also a Swede, Jacob Berzelius, who identified boron as an element in 1824.

Applications of boron steel

In areas subject to high wear and tear, boron steel is ideal due to its good properties and economic advantage.Some common applications are:

• scoops
• Harvar
• Ploughs
• Chain wheel
• Wear details for abrasive wear and tear