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Anodized bronze is created by passing an electric current through the metal, forming a protective oxidation layer. Bronze made of copper and aluminum is commonly anodized for strength and resistance to wear. Anodized bronze can also be used as a paint color, but it does not provide the same protective qualities as anodized metal.
Untreated bronze is sometimes anodized to make it stronger and more resistant to wear. To anodize a metal, an electric current is passed through it so that the anodized metal forms the anode in the electrical circuit. This attracts the oxygen atoms to its surface, forming a protective oxidation layer. Although oxygenated metal can be weaker than metal that hasn’t reacted with oxygen, such as a rusty piece of iron, some metals, including aluminum, are made stronger when they are oxygenated via anodization. With a protective layer of atoms on the outside, an anodized bronze piece is able to withstand exposure to temperature, water, and radiation better than it would without this layer.
Bronze can be composed of a number of different metals, although copper is the major component. The most common type of bronze is copper and tin, a combination that forms a hard metal that is prone to cracking and chipping. Copper and tin combinations are not anodized because neither copper nor tin forms a protective layer when anodized. Instead, bronze made of copper and between 5% and 11% aluminum is usually made into anodized bronze because aluminum can be anodized.
Anodized bronze is stronger than non-anodized copper-aluminum bronze. Anodizing this type of bronze helps prevent cracking, breaking, or chipping, especially when it’s been exposed to the elements for an extended period of time. It can also be anodized to produce an aesthetically pleasing finish on the bronze piece. The color can vary from a light golden orange to a more intense orange with reddish undertones.
It’s also possible that the term refers to a specific paint color. An anodized bronze paint will be a metallic color with orange, gold, and red pigments. In many cases, these paints are designed to be used on metal surfaces and can offer these surfaces some protection from the elements while coloring them to resemble anodized bronze. However, a coat of this paint is not at all the same as a coat of anodized metal and any protective qualities the paint imparts to the surface is a result of its sealing properties and not a chemical change in the metal surface.
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