Blue steel and galvanized steel have different colors due to their different corrosion protection procedures. Blue steel is passivated to achieve a bluish hue, while galvanized steel is dipped in molten zinc and exposed to the atmosphere. Blue steel is commonly used in the arms industry and for steel structures, while galvanized steel is used for commercial and structural applications. The bluing process is only effective for steel and stainless steel, while galvanizing includes iron and aluminum.
True to its name, blue steel is bluish black in color and easily distinguishable from the dull gray appearance of galvanized steel. While it may appear to be only an external difference, it is this color variation that reflects the two different procedures the original steel underwent to acquire corrosion protection. While the appearance of blue steel is attributed to the black iron oxide coating, galvanized steel gets its distinct gray color from zinc carbonate, the result of the chemical reaction between zinc, oxygen and carbon dioxide. The intention behind creating both strains, however, is to wage a successful war against rust, the most destructive corrosive agent.
The bluing of steel is achieved through the passivation process, which neutralizes the non-reactive oxide film on its surface. In comparison, galvanized steel is formed by dipping the steel in molten zinc and immediately exposing it to the atmosphere to help cure the protective coating. As finished products, blue steel takes on a bluish hue, and galvanized steel can be easily identified by its spangled appearance, caused by the crystallized patterns on the surface. Blue steel can also be created using several processes such as hot burnishing, cold burnishing, rust burnishing, and fume burnishing, but galvanizing has been standard procedure, with the only innovation being electroplating, which involves electrifying the zinc to create the protective coating.
Traditionally, blue steel has been associated with the arms industry; for example, weapons made from this material are more resistant to rust and tend to last much longer. The ingenious engineers of this era also found several other applications for this type of steel, and its use is now widespread in the construction of massive steel structures for numerous industries. Galvanized steel, on the other hand, has been the backbone of the steel industry and boasts commercial use, structural formations, and wire drawing applications, due to its easy malleability and ductility. It is only in recent years that blue steel has been replaced by galvanized steel in structural engineering.
Another noteworthy point regarding blue steel is that the bluing process is only effective in the case of steel and stainless steel. Galvanizing includes both iron and aluminum, both of which are often more readily available. The process of applying burnishing to non-ferrous materials, such as aluminum and polymers, proved to be completely ineffective, as the protection granted after the burnishing process was practically non-existent.
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