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Metallurgy and Corrosion of Cast Iron Cannons from Fort Prince of Wales, Manitoba

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2011

Henry Unglik
Henry Unglik*
Affiliation:
Parks Canada, Department of Canadian Heritage, 1550 Liverpool Court, Ottawa, CanadaK1A OM5
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Abstract

A metallurgical and corrosion study was undertaken on early eighteenth century cast-iron cannons to determine the extent and nature of the deterioration of the cannons. This study aided the development of a suitable conservation treatment in order to minimize further corrosion of the cannons. The cannons have been exposed for over 250 years to atmospheric corrosion in a coastal subarctic climate and marine environment. Due to high humidity, both damp and wet atmospheric corrosion was prevalent, resulting in loss of surface detail. The overall corrosion damage is limited, as thickness loss at bore and weight loss of cannons indicate. The structure and composition of the sound metal and the corrosion scale were examined. The metal structure is that of a phosphoric grey iron with a mixed pearlite and ferrite matrix, and the composition is typical for a cold-blast charcoal iron smelted from high-phosphorus ores. The structure of the corroded metal and the morphology of corrosion occurring in the cannons are common in grey iron. The role of atmospheric-corrosion factors in the deterioration of the cannons is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 352: Symposium – Materials Issues in Art and Archaeology IV , 1995 , 351
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1995

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References

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