STEEL- MAKING
Most of the pig iron produced is taken to make steel. The carbon content is reduced by burning it off as carbon dioxide. Any sulphur contaminated is oxidised to sulphur dioxide. This basic oxygen process is carried out in a tilting furnace. The method is fast: 350 tonnes of molten iron can be converted in 40 minutes. Scrap steel is added to the molten pig iron for recycling. A high-speed jet of oxygen is blown into the vessel through a water-cooled lance. Some impurities, for example silicon and phosphorus, do not produce gaseous oxides, so lime (CaO) is added to the furnace. The impurities from a 'slag', which floats on top of molten iron. The molten iron is poured off by tilting the furnace. Controlled amounts of other elements such as chromium, manganese, tungsten or other transition metals are to make different steels.
Carbon steels and alloy steels
There is a wide variety of steels to suit particular applications. Some steels are alloys of iron and carbon only. The amount of carbon in steels can vary between 0.2% and 1.5%. These carbon steels, which include the mild steel are used for car bodies, chains etc.
But carbon steels tend to rust unless protected. So other metals, for example chromium, are added to prevent corrosion and to prevent corrosion and to make the steel harder.