Wrought iron

**Terminology and Definitions**:
– Wrought iron means worked iron.
– Cast iron is brittle and cannot be worked hot or cold.
– Different terms were used for wrought iron in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
– Steel can be hardened by heat treating.

**Types, Shapes, and Origin**:
– Bar iron, rod iron, hoop iron, plate iron, and blackplate.
– Charcoal iron, puddled iron, Oregrounds iron, Danks iron, and Forest iron.
– Wrought iron contains around 99.4% iron by mass.
– Phosphorus content in ancient iron was higher than in modern iron.

**Quality, Defects, and Historical Context**:
– Tough, malleable, ductile, and corrosion-resistant properties of wrought iron.
– Defects like redshort, hot short, and cold short caused by excess sulfur and phosphorus.
– Historical significance and evolution of iron smelting processes.
– Presence of slag in wrought iron beneficial for blacksmithing operations.

**Production Processes and Techniques**:
– Bloomery, Osmond, finery, potting and stamping, puddling, shingling, and rolling processes.
– Lancashire and Aston processes for manufacturing wrought iron.
– Welding and coatings, corrosion resistance, and properties of wrought iron.
– Purity, welding, coatings, and properties of wrought iron.

**Applications, Significance, and Modern Relevance**:
– Historical and modern uses of wrought iron in furniture, home decor, and industrial applications.
– Properties like high tensile strength, corrosion resistance, and thermal conductivity.
– Applications in architecture, ornamental ironwork, and industrial machinery.
– Production process, historical significance, and modern relevance of wrought iron.