cast iron
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Cast iron is a type of metal made from a mixture of iron and carbon that can be melted and poured into molds to create various shapes. It has been widely used for centuries to make products ranging from cookware and tools to engine parts and decorative items because it is durable, holds heat well, and can be manufactured relatively inexpensively.
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Cast iron is a class of iron–carbon alloys with a carbon content of more than 2% and silicon content around 1–3%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloying elements determine the form in which its carbon appears: white cast iron has its carbon combined into the iron carbide compound cementite, which is very hard, but brittle, as it allows cracks to pass straight through; grey cast iron has graphite flakes which deflect a passing crack and initiate countless new cracks as the material breaks, and ductile cast iron has spherical graphite "nodules" which stop the crack from further progressing.
Carbon (C), ranging from 1.8 to 4% by weight, and silicon (Si), 1–3% by weight, are the main alloying elements of cast iron. Iron alloys with lower carbon content are known as steel.