What is wrought iron made up of?

Wrought iron is an iron alloy that's made up of mostly iron, with small amounts of other materials:

Iron
Wrought iron is made of very pure iron, with a carbon content of 0.02–0.05%.

Slag
Wrought iron also contains 1–2% slag, which is a by-product of smelting iron ore. Slag is made up of silicon, sulfur, phosphorous, and aluminum oxides. The slag gives wrought iron a fibrous appearance and a wood-like grain that's visible when it's bent, rusted, or etched.

Other impurities

Wrought iron may also contain small amounts of other impurities, such as carbon, aluminum oxide, sulfur, silicon, and phosphorous.

Wrought iron is made by repeatedly heating iron and working it with tools to deform it. The process involves hammering iron balls to remove slag, then passing the resulting "bloom" through rolling mills to make it thinner and longer. The bloom is then compacted to form a solid billet. 

Wrought iron is highly malleable and ductile, and it gets stronger the more it's worked. It has a high tensile strength and resists fatigue, making it well-suited for horizontal beams in construction. Wrought iron can also be reheated and formed, making it easy to modify and repair. 



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