What Do We Mean When We Say Alloy Steel?
Alloying elements are always metallic- thus sulfur, phosphorus, carbon and nitrogen are NOT alloying elements. Steel is classified as an alloy steel when the maximum content of manganese exceeds 1.65%; silicon exceeds 0.5%; copper exceeds 0.6%, or in which a definite range or minimum quantity of the following elements are specified:aluminum, boron, chromium (up to 3.99%), cobalt, columbium,molybdenum, nickel, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zirconium.