How Many Times Is The Hardness of Cemented Carbide Compared To Ordinary Steel?

The hardness of materials is often measured using various scales such as the Mohs hardness scale, the Brinell hardness test, the Rockwell hardness test, or the Vickers hardness test. Comparing the hardness of a hard alloy to ordinary steel can vary significantly depending on the specific types of alloy and steel in question, as well as the hardness scale used.

However, for a general comparison:

Ordinary Steel: Typically, mild or carbon steel has a Brinell hardness number (BHN) of around 120-180.

Hard Alloys (like Tungsten Carbide): Tungsten carbide, a common hard alloy, has a Brinell hardness number (BHN) of around 1500-2200.

If we take the average hardness values for a rough estimate:

Mild Steel: BHN ~ 150

Tungsten Carbide: BHN ~ 1850

To find how many times harder tungsten carbide is than mild steel, we can simply divide the hardness values:

Relative Hardness=BHN of Mild SteelBHN of Tungsten Carbide=1501850=≈12.3

Thus, tungsten carbide is approximately 12 to 13 times harder than mild steel based on the Brinell hardness numbers.

This is a rough estimate and the exact value can vary depending on the specific types of steel and alloy and the testing method used.