What are the key properties of manganese as an alloying element?
Manganese is a silvery-white, brittle hard metal. The name was derived from Latin word Magnes that means magnet. It is the fifth most plentiful metal present on the crust of the planet. In the pre-historic age, cave painters used to use manganese (Mn) as manganese dioxide aka black ore pyrolusite. The metal has certain distinct properties. Let’s have a quick look at them. The metal is widely used by leading manganese steel casting manufacturer.
• Some of the chemical and physical properties of the metal are the same as iron. However, manganese is harder than iron. It is more brittle as well. The metal is available in several deposits. Its most common ores may include manganese dioxide in the form of wad, pyrolusite and romanechite.
• The metal is acquired by means of electrolysis of manganese sulfate. More than 90% of the manganese acquired is used as silicomanganese and ferromanganese alloys in order to produce steel.
• Natural manganese is stable. It is available in the form of isotopemanganese-55. The metal occurs in a number of allotropic modifications. Like iron, manganese also burns in air at higher temperatures. It corrodes in the damp air. However, oxidization of the metal occurs in any form of air. Mn decomposes water slowly while it is cold. But if it is heated, it can decompose water fast.
• Manganese dissolves in dilute acids promptly. As a byproduct, it produces hydrogen as well as corresponding salts. The metal can be turned into ferromagnetic if suitable treatment is applied. Mn is electropositive by nature. It dissolves instantly in dilute non-oxidizing acids. At an increased temperature, the metal reacts with a number of non-metals. However, it is non-reactive at room temperature.
• Manganese produces di-fluoride and tri-fluoride by reacting with fluorine. The metal burns in nitrogen, chlorine, and oxygen to form tri-manganese dinitride, manganese dichloride and tri-manganese tetroxide, respectively. Manganese can directly combine with phosphorus, boron, silicon, carbon and sulfur.
• Iron and manganese are the key components of ferromanganese alloys. Ferroalloys with about 80% manganese come useful for the making of steel. Metallic manganese, carbon ferromanganese and nitride purified ferromanganese are some common types of such alloys. This is the reason that the metal is used by any reputable manganese steel casting manufacturer.
Manganese is a common metal that is used for different purposes as the key alloying element. It is the main component of steel. In fact, Mn is available in almost every commercially available steel version. Manganese is the reason for the hardness and strength of steel. However, the effect of manganese for improvement of the mechanical property of steel greatly depends on the carbon content of the same. Both manganese and steel have the same effects. And thus manufacturers use both of them for production of a material with suitable properties.
