Corrosion evaluation of traditional and new bronzes for artistic castings

By electrochemical and accelerated weathering tests, the corrosion behaviour of a new type of tin–bronze, containing about 3 wt.% silicon (SI3 bronze) was compared to a traditional 5% Sn, 5% Zn, 5% Pb bronze used for artistic castings (G85 bronze) under conditions simulating urban-industrial and marine environments. The aggressive media were: a synthetic pH 3.1 acid rain (AR) solution; a typical moist SO2–NOx for a climatic chamber and AR or 3.5% NaCl aqueous solution for salt spray cabinet. In all the environments the corrosion product layers formed on SI3 bronze were more uniform and protective than those formed on the traditional G85 bronze. The nature and morphology of the corrosion products were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical and scanning electron microscopy with microprobe (SEM–EDS), atomic force microscopy (AFM).