Brass

Michiel Langeveld <info [at] metaalrestaurator__nl> writes

>During washing of brass objects in water, the brass stains from gold
>to brown. Can anyone advise me on the use of inhibitors or other
>methods to avoid this staining?

I also have a feeling that your rinsing process is too long.  Brass
corrodes in the absence of oxygen and also in deionised water (this
will attack the zinc preferentially).  You could try using sodium
sulfate as an inhibitor or use cathodic protection.

Vanessa Roth
Objects Conservator
Art Gallery of Western Australia


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 18:10
                 Distributed: Thursday, August 5, 2004
                       Message Id: cdl-18-10-005
                                  ***