H13 Tool Steel
The AISI categorisation system places steels intended for use in chromium hot-work tools in group H. H1 through H19 are the first steels in this class.
Applications for hot and cold work tools frequently employ H13 chromium hot-work steel. More tooling applications employ H13 tool steel than any other because of its exceptional blend of high toughness and fatigue resistance.
Chemical Composition
The following table shows the chemical composition of H13 tool steels.
| Element | Content (%) |
| Chromium, Cr | 4.75-5.50 |
| Molybdenum, Mo | 1.10-1.75 |
| Silicon, Si | 0.80-1.20 |
| Vanadium, V | 0.80-1.20 |
| Carbon, C | 0.32-0.45 |
| Nickel, Ni | 0.3 |
| Copper, Cu | 0.25 |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.20-0.50 |
| Phosphorus, P | 0.03 |
| Sulfur, S | 0.03 |
Physical Properties
The physical properties of H13 tool steels are given in the following table.
| Properties | Metric | Imperial |
| Density (@20°C/68°F) | 7.80 g/cm3 | 0.282 lb/in3 |
| Melting point | 1427°C | 2600°F |
Mechanical Properties
The mechanical properties of H13 tool steels are tabulated below.
| Properties | Metric | Imperial |
| Tensile strength, ultimate (@20°C/68°F, varies with heat treatment) | 1200 - 1590 MPa | 174000 - 231000 psi |
| Tensile strength, yield (@20°C/68°F, varies with heat treatment) | 1000 - 1380 MPa | 145000 - 200000 psi |
| Reduction of area (@20°C/68°F) | 50.00% | 50.00% |
| Modulus of elasticity (@20°C/68°F) | 215 GPa | 31200 ksi |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.27-0.30 | 0.27-0.30 |
Thermal Properties
The following table shows the thermal properties of H13 tool steels.
| Properties | Conditions | ||
| T (ºC) | Treatment | ||
| Thermal expansion | 10.4 x 10-6/ºC | 20-100 | - |
| Thermal conductivity | 28.6 W/mK | 215 | - |