Why Does Copper Turn Green?

When copper is brand new, it possesses a rich

, shiny bronze colouring that invokes thoughts of sophisticated and well-to-do people who have never wanted for anything in their lives. Over time, however, copper objects are known to slowly change colour until they look green or aqua and nothing like the rich brown that they once were. You may be interested to learn that the chemical composition of the metal is what allows these changes to take place. Lets take a closer look at the process:

Oxidation: This is the name given to the chemical change that a substance experience when exposed to the elements, like sunlight and rain. Iron, for example, will rust when it oxidizes. When copper goes through the oxidation process, however, it will form a layer known as a patina, which has effects that you can both see and not see. Whilst we will see the colour change on the outside of the metal, the inside will be protected against further oxidation.

Patina: This is the name given to the layer that forms over the surface of a metal when it oxidizes. The patina that copper develops, however, does possess some very unique qualities that warrant some looking into. To begin with, the patina will result in a colour change from shiny to much duller to green as time progresses. This layer, however, provides the copper inside with a protection that cannot be penetrated, preventing further oxidation.

Colour Change: This is the name given to the process that copper undergoes as it ages and experiences each of the steps, oxidation and patina, outlined above. When the metal first begins to age its colour will darken to a much deeper brown or even a rust colour. Three to four years later, this brown colouring will begin to fade and the metal will start to develop a greenish hue. Copper can be treated to prevent oxidation from going this far, but it can also be treated so that the process is sped up.

It is important to keep in mind that it will take copper years to go from being shiny and new, like a penny, to being dull and aqua in colour, like the Statue of Liberty. It will not happen overnight if you accidentally leave a copper object sitting outside in the elements. During the first five to ten years of the process, the colour changes that you will begin to notice will be gradual. Then, after about ten years have passed, you will notice the colour of your copper to change drastically.

by: George

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