Steel
Alloyed can take steel alloys to the next level of versatility
Steels are alloys based on iron, and are by far the most versatile, cost-effective, and one of the most widely recycled materials in use. Everything from concrete rebar to high-performance gas turbine components is made of steel. Iron can be mixed with a wide range of elements to give steels an extraordinary range of different properties. For example, iron with nickel and chromium becomes stainless steel, which is corrosion resistant and can be easily shaped. Add cobalt (and optionally aluminium or titanium) and you get maraging steels, the strongest engineering materials known today. Iron and manganese make up manganese steels, which are low-cost yet have exceptional strength and ductility. Steel is also easily recyclable – around 85% of waste steel at the end of its first useful life is already remelted and used in new products. Recycled steel has a much lower carbon footprint compared to steel made from ore.