Civil Engineering - Building Materials - Discussion

Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon (less than 0.08%) content in contrast to cast iron (2.1% to 4%). It is a semi-fused mass of iron with fibrous slag inclusions (up to 2% by weight) , which gives it a "grain" resembling wood that is visible when it is etched or bent to the point of failure. Wrought iron is tough, malleable, ductile, corrosion-resistant and easily welded. Before the development of effective methods of steelmaking and the availability of large quantities of steel, wrought iron was the most common form of malleable iron. It was given the name wrought because it was hammered, rolled or otherwise worked while hot enough to expel molten slag. The modern functional equivalent of wrought iron is mild or low carbon steel. Neither wrought iron nor mild steel contains enough carbon to be hardenable by heating and quenching.

Wrought iron contains 0.08% of carbon as per iron-carbon diagram.

Wrought iron contains less than 0.10% of carbon, less than 0.25% of sulphur, silicon, and manganese impurities, and less than 2% slag by weight.

Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content (less than 0.05%) in contrast to that of cast iron (2.1% to 4.5%).

It is a semi-fused mass of iron with fibrous slag inclusions (up to 2% by weight), which gives it a wood-like "grain" that is visible when it is etched, rusted, or bent to failure. Wrought iron is tough, malleable, ductile, corrosion-resistant, and easily forge-welded, but is more difficult to weld electrically.

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Wrought iron is a form of commercial iron containing less than 0.10% of carbon. Less than 0.25% of impurities like Sulphur, Phosphorus, Silicon, and Manganese.

Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon (less than 0.08%) content in contrast to cast iron (2.1% to 4%). It is a semi-fused mass of iron with fibrous slag inclusions (up to 2% by weight), which gives it a "grain" resembling wood that is visible when it is etched.

1) Cast iron:

It is an alloy of iron, carbon and silicon and it is hard and brittle. Carbon content may be within 1.7% to 3% and carbon may be present as free carbon or iron carbide Fe3C.

2) Wrought iron:

This is a very pure iron where the iron content is of the order of 99.5%. It is produced by re-melting pig iron and some small amount of silicon, sulphur, or phosphorus may be present. It is tough, malleable and ductile and can easily be forged or welded.

3) Steel:

Steel is basically an alloy of iron and carbon in which the carbon content can be less than 1.7% and carbon is present in the form of iron carbide to impart hardness and strength. Two main categories of steel are (a) Plain carbon steel and (b) alloy steel.

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What is the use of carbon for iron? Please explain.