Weathering steel, the full name of which is "atmospheric corrosion resistant steel", is a steel with high corrosion resistance, especially suitable for the manufacture of structural parts in harsh environments. Compared with ordinary steel, weathering steel has significant differences in composition design, performance characteristics and application scenarios.
1. Composition difference
Ordinary steel:
Mainly composed of iron and carbon, a small amount of manganese, silicon and other elements may be added to improve processing performance or mechanical properties. Contains fewer alloy elements and does not have special corrosion resistance.
Weathering steel:
Add appropriate amounts of copper (Cu), phosphorus (P), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni) and other alloy elements to ordinary carbon steel. These alloy elements enhance the ability to resist corrosion by chemical substances in the natural environment by promoting the formation of a dense oxide film on the surface.
2. Differences in application fields
Ordinary steel: Widely used for general purposes in conventional environments such as buildings, bridges, and vehicles.
Weathering steel: Due to its excellent corrosion resistance and low maintenance requirements, it is very suitable for use in marine engineering, railway vehicles, container manufacturing, and large open-air building structures.