Mr Eric Nordgren
Academic History
BA, Classical Archaeology, McGill University, Canada
BSc, Archaeological Conservation, UCL
PhD Research
Working Title: The effect of metallurgical structure on the chloride-induced corrosion of archaeological wrought iron.
The contribution of chloride salts to the corrosion and destruction of archaeological wrought iron artefacts has been well documented in the archaeological conservation literature. The effect of metallurgical structure and composition on the chloride-induced corrosion of wrought iron is less well understood. The metallurgy of iron is readily evaluated and may have important implications for its post-excavation preservation, particularly when the artefacts to be preserved are numerous or very large and complete removal of chloride is practically difficult.
The aim of this study is to study the metallurgy of a large number of wrought iron archaeological artefacts and examine relationships with their chloride content and distribution, as well as post-excavation and post-treatment corrosion. The data obtained will inform practical decisions for preserving historic iron artefacts either by chloride extraction or by environmental control.
Start Date: January 2012
First Supervisor: Professor David Watkinson
Second Supervisor: Dr Paul Nicholson
Publications
Nordgren, Eric, 2010. ‘Conservation of Iron Artifacts from the USS Monitor (1862)’. In: Gerhard Eggert and Britta Schmutzler, eds., Archaeological Iron Conservation Colloquium, State Academy of Art and Design Stuttgart, Germany 24-26 June 2010. Staatliche Akademie der Bildenen Kunst, Stuttgart, 2010
Krop, David, and Nordgren, Eric, 2010. ‘Dissassembly of Complex Mechanical Components from the USS Monitor’. in: Metal 2010 Preprints of the Interim Meeting of the ICOM-CC Metals Working Group, October 11-15 Charleston, South Carolina.
Nordgren, Eric, 2010. ‘Renovation of Conservation Facilities at the Egyptian Museum, Cairo, Egypt: A Collaborative Effort’. in: Emily Williams and Claire Peachey, eds. Conservation of Archaeological Materials, Current Trends and Future Directions, Williamsburg, Virginia, Nov. 13-17, 2005. 225-230. British Archaeological Reports, International Series 2116 Archaeopress, Oxford, 2010
Nordgren, Eric and Secord, Erin, 2009. ‘Metallurgy of the Monitor’ in: Luke Brewer, et al, eds. Proceedings of the Microscopy and Microanalysis 2009 Meeting, July 26-30 2009, Richmond, Virginia. Microscopy Society of America, Cambridge University Press, 2009
Nordgren Eric, David Krop, Erin Secord, Elsa Sangouard, Michael Saul, Gary Paden, and Gerry Hanley, 2009. ‘USS Monitor Conservation: Preserving a Marvel of 19th Century Technology’. in: Ryhl-Svendsen, Morten et al, eds. Incredible Industry: preserving the evidence of industrial society, Nordic Association of Conservators 18th Conference, 25-27 May 2009: proceedings Nordisk Konservator Forbund, Danmark, 2009
Nordgren, Eric, Goncalves, Pedro, et al, 2007. ‘Corrosion Assessment and Implementation of Techniques to Mitigate Corrosion of Large Artifacts from the USS Monitor (1862)’. in: Degrigny, Christian, ed., Metal 07 : Interim meeting of the ICOM-CC Metal WG, Amsterdam, 17-21 September 2007. ICOM-CC. Metal Working Group, 2007.
Additional Information
Areas of interest: Archaeological conservation practice, conservation of marine archaeological artefacts, corrosion of archaeological and historic metals, metallurgy, marine and terrestrial archaeology