What makes weathering steel weather resistant is its special chemical composition and make-up. Weathering steel is more resistant to corrosion than most steels because the surface of the material oxidizes to form a protective layer of bronze-colored rust under frequent alternating wet and dry conditions. Unpainted weathering steel requires very little maintenance, and the bronze color will prevent further rusting of the steel.
Weathering steel is also specially added to add niobium, molybdenum, phosphorus, titanium and other weathering elements, corrosion will become slow under the action of the alloy, and with a variable corrosion inhibition effect, the protective layer on the surface of the weathering steel will slowly grow regenerated with the effects of weathering. In short, the steel is to rely on the surface to produce rust to form a protective layer.
Weathering steel has good resistance to atmospheric corrosion, although the application of weathering steel investment costs in the early stage is slightly higher than ordinary steel, but with the carbon steel surface spraying anti-corrosion coating and other methods of comparison, the carbon steel of the late maintenance costs are weathering steel 1.5-2 times. Therefore weathering steel can reduce environmental pollution, energy saving and emission reduction, protect the environment and resources.
Weathering steel was initially used as an industrial material for ships, railroads, bridges and other fields. In recent decades, some artists have returned to simplicity and started to pursue the "true color" of the material, so weathering steel has been favored by architects and designers for its full post-modern aesthetic, and has been widely used in architectural, interior and landscape design.
