The DeLong diagram accounts for which important factor affecting stainless steels?

The DeLong diagram is a crucial tool in understanding the alloying and phase behavior of stainless steels. It primarily accounts for nitrogen and its impact on the properties of these alloys. Nitrogen serves to enhance the strength, corrosion resistance, and overall stability of stainless steel structures. Specifically, in austenitic stainless steels, nitrogen can contribute to solid solution strengthening and improve resistance to pitting corrosion.

By evaluating the effects of nitrogen, the DeLong diagram assists metallurgy professionals in selecting the appropriate stainless steel compositions to achieve desired mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. This makes an understanding of nitrogen’s role pivotal when working with stainless steels, particularly in environments that demand high-performance materials.

Contextually, although oxygen, carbon, and argon are relevant elements in metallurgical processes, they do not have the specific role and significance in the context of the DeLong diagram as nitrogen does. Oxygen can impact quality through oxidation or contamination, carbon affects the hardness and tensile strength of steel, and argon is primarily utilized as a shielding gas in welding processes rather than as an alloying element.