Corten ígwè bụ ihe alloy ígwè. Mgbe ọtụtụ afọ nke ikpughe n'èzí gasịrị, enwere ike ịmepụta nchara nchara dị ntakịrị n'elu, n'ihi ya, ọ dịghị mkpa ka a na-ese ya maka nchebe. Aha a kacha mara amara nke igwe ihu igwe bụ "cor-ten", nke bụ mbiri nke "corrosion resistance" na "tensile energy", ya mere a na-akpọkarị ya "Corten steel" na bekee. N'adịghị ka igwe anaghị agba nchara, nke nwere ike ịbụ kpamkpam na-enweghị nchara, igwe na-ekpuchi ihu igwe naanị oxidizes n'elu ma ghara ịbanye n'ime ime, ya mere o nwere nnukwu ihe mgbochi corrosion.
A na-ewere nchara Corten dị ka ihe "dị ndụ" n'ihi usoro maturation ya na-enweghị atụ. Ndo na ụda ga-agbanwe ka oge na-aga, dabere na ọdịdị nke ihe ahụ, ebe etinyere ya, na ihu igwe ihu igwe ngwaahịa na-agafe. Oge kwụsiri ike site na oxidation ruo ntozu oke bụ ọnwa 12-18. Mmetụta nchara nke mpaghara adịghị abanye n'ime ihe ahụ, nke mere na ígwè ahụ na-emepụta oyi akwa nchebe iji zere mmebi.
Corten ígwè agaghị agba nchara. N'ihi ihe mejupụtara kemịkalụ ya, ọ na-egosipụta nguzogide dị elu na corrosion ikuku karịa nchara dị nro. N'elu ígwè ahụ ga-agba nchara, na-emepụta oyi akwa nchebe nke anyị na-akpọ "patina."
A na-emepụta mmetụta mgbochi corrosion nke verdigris site na nkesa kpọmkwem na ntinye nke ihe ndị na-emepụta ya. A na-edobe oyi akwa mkpuchi ka patina na-aga n'ihu na-etolite ma na-amụba mgbe ọ na-ekpughe ihu igwe. Ya mere enwere ike iji ya mee ogologo oge n'emebighị ngwa ngwa.