Efficiency and durability of protective treatments on cultural heritage copper corrosion layers

Abstract To protect copper artefacts of the cultural heritage from atmospheric degradation protective treatment must be applied. Two types of protective treatments: microcrystalline wax (Cosmolloid wax) and decanoate solution (HC10) were tested. Two aspects were considered: the penetration of the treatments in the corrosion layers, and its durability. Equivalent efficiencies for both treatments were demonstrated. The penetration of the treatments seems to depend essentially on its application mode. Re-corrosion experiments of treated samples under immersion in D2O demonstrate that the efficiency and the durability with time or after water leaching depend on the penetration of the treatments in the corrosion layers.