Wrought Iron

Wrought iron is a soft, malleable, and ductile iron alloy with a low carbon content. It’s made from a semi-fused mass of iron globules with slag inclusions. Wrought iron is known for its wood-like grain, which is visible when it’s bent, rusted, or etched.

Material Properties

Malleable: Can be heated and reshaped into different forms
Ductile: Can deform without breaking
Strong: Has high tensile and compressive strength
Tough: Can absorb energy
Magnetic: Attracted to magnets
Weldable: Can be easily welded
Forgeable: Can be easily forged
Rust-resistant: Has a higher carbon content than pure iron, which helps protect it from rusting

Material Chemical Compostion

Elements

Iron: The main component of wrought iron, making up 99–99.8% of its composition
Carbon: Typically makes up 0.02–0.05% of wrought iron
Silicon: Typically makes up 0.02–0.2% of wrought iron
Phosphorus: Typically makes up 0.05–0.2% of wrought iron
Sulfur: Typically makes up 0.01–0.02% of wrought iron
Manganese: Typically makes up less than 0.25% of wrought iron

Slag

Wrought iron also contains slag, which is a mixture of metal and silicone oxides
Slag makes up less than 2% of wrought iron by weight
The slag in wrought iron helps to prevent corrosion
Wrought iron is produced by melting cast iron and removing impurities through oxidation.