Iron
Tess Parisi
General Information
Iron is a metal made from heating hematite or magnetite in a blast furnace along with coke, creating the unique and versatile material. It is a lustrous, ductile, and malleable material that is used in many everyday object and building materials.
Iron does rust in damp air, but not in dry air. This metal also dissolves readily in dilute acids. Although it does not clearly alter in pure water or in dry air, when there is a combination of oxygen and water present, it will corrode. The silver will change to a reddish-brown because oxides are formed on the surface.
Environmental Impact
Iron is a relatively sustainable resource. It is the most used of all metals because of its durability when not around water and air, and of its strength. Iron has a low cost and has extremely high strength. Since this metal is fairly natural it can be readily accessible and is being used for many more uses other than simply structural.
Use in Interior Setting
1. Iron is used in many odd objects such as golf clubs
2. Hardware: handles, knobs, sinks, and other handlebars. This is very common and is becoming popular because of its rusted and imperfect look.
3. Cast iron skillets are becoming popular for making dishes. The only downside to the cast iron skillet is that it needs to be cleaned a specific way or else it will be unusable.
4. Lighting is also used a lot, to give light to rooms while also fitting a darker and more intimate interior mood.
5. The wrought iron staircase is a very stable and beautiful way to make a room more rustic or more modern when this iron is matched to certain colors.
Application
Iron can have either a powder coat or baked enamel coat, protecting it from the damages that moisture can do. It is made cast iron with a certain coating. This natural metal can also be left plain with a clear coating to keep its true tone when there is no mix of moisture and oxygen in the air. Iron can be smooth, textured, or hammered and is easily transformable to change a room.
Testing Organizations:
Association for Iron & Steel - https://www.aist.org/home/
American Iron and Steel Institute - https://www.steel.org/
Relevant standards through ASTM:
A834 - Standard Specification for Common Requirements for Iron Castings for General Industrial Use
A874 -Standard Specification for Ferritic Ductile Iron Castings Suitable for Low-Temperature Service
