What type of carbon steel has the highest carbon content?

High carbon steel, characterized by a carbon content typically ranging from 0.61% to 1.5%, is known for its enhanced strength and hardness compared to steels with lower carbon content. This increased carbon level allows high carbon steel to be heat-treated for further improvement in hardness, making it suitable for applications requiring strong and hard materials, such as cutting tools, springs, and high-strength wires.

The unique properties of high carbon steel arise from the increased carbon, which influences the microstructure of the steel and the resulting mechanical properties. As carbon content increases, the steel becomes less ductile and is more prone to brittleness, but this trade-off is often desirable in applications where hardness and wear resistance are vital.

In contrast, low carbon steel typically contains less than 0.3% carbon and is known for its ductility and weldability but lacks the hardness and strength of higher carbon steels. Medium carbon steel, with a carbon content between 0.3% and 0.6%, offers a balance of strength and ductility, making it useful in moderate-stress applications. Ultra-high carbon steel, on the other hand, contains more than 1.5% carbon, which can lead to very high hardness, but its brittleness