OXIDATION OF THE SURFACE OF METAL ELEMENTS
AGING OF COPPER, SILVER, BRONZE OR BRASS WITH AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION
LIVER SULFUR

Sulfur liver (Liver of sulfur / Liver of sulfur) - potassium polysulfide or sodium polysulfide.

Copper and silver patina well aqueous solution sulfur liver, gradually acquiring a thick black color, and bronze and brass - faint shades.

Sintering of the patinated composition over a fire gave it the name “liver” in the old days - from the word “furnace”, “to sinter”.

Patina- film (plaque).
Patina comes in two types: natural and artificial.

Natural patinaA- this is a thin, but quite dense and durable oxide film that forms on the surface of decorative elements under natural conditions (under the influence of the environment).

Natural patina is often considered noble and, as a rule, they try to protect it.

Artificial patina- a coating formed on the surface of decorative elements after applying various mastics, solutions and other compositions intended for this purpose to their surface.

Oxidation- creation of an oxide film on the surface of a decorative element as a result of an oxidation-reduction reaction. Oxidation is used, among other things, to obtain a beautiful decorative coating.

To oxidize copper, silver, bronze or brass you will need :

The object itself, the surface of which will be treated with a solution of sulfur liver;

Liver sulfur (working concentration - 10 g of liver sulfur per 1 liter of water, however, by changing the concentration,
solution temperature or exposure time, a wide range of patina colors can be obtained on copper and silver -
reddish brown and purple to black);

Glass or plastic container;

Patination is the artificial aging of materials to give them an exquisite decorative and antique look. We would like to offer you a recipe for liver sulfur solution for patination of products.

You will need:

• feed sulfur
• baking soda
• heating container
• spoon
• dark glass container

Sulfur can be bought at any pet store, it costs about 30 rubles. Use an iron mug for heating and an aluminum spoon for stirring. You will also need a dark glass container for the finished solution (preferably with a large neck, so that some products can be immersed immediately). Prepare in a well-ventilated area with an exhaust hood. Remember that the rate of oxidation of the product depends on the concentration, temperature and time of exposure of the product in the solution. Some stones are sensitive to sulfur liver (malachite, turquoise, etc.), in such cases the solution must be carefully applied with a brush to the heated product. The prepared solution can be stored in the refrigerator for more than a month. Don't forget to sign!

(1-8)
So, let's start preparing sulfur liver. Pour 1 part sulfur and 1 part baking soda into a cooking container. Mix thoroughly and get rid of lumps. Then heat the mixture over low heat, stirring it with a spoon ( If heated quickly, the sulfur may ignite!). Bring to a bright yellow, slightly brownish color. Add warm water and stir. Carefully pour the solution into a dark glass container.

To reuse the solution, heat it in a water bath. Place the product in the container and wait for the color you want. Then rinse under running water, wipe with a cloth and polish with a metal sponge.

The oxidation of iron is called rust. Oxidation of other metals - patina. They are fighting with the first one. They are chasing the second one.
They are persecuted not to drive them out, but on the contrary, to keep them. Coin collectors, for example, say that “the patina on coins is life experience banknotes." The plaque testifies to the antiquity of the exhibit and the careful treatment of it by the previous owners.

However, in addition to the natural patina formed when the metal interacts with the atmosphere, environment, there is also an artificial one. The main purpose of man-made film is decorative.

It is created using various acids and oxidizing agents. They are included in special mixtures.
On some metals the film is green, on others red, on others black. The tone of the plaque also depends on the conditions in which the item was stored and used.

Bronze statues standing on city streets have a greenish patina. But, there are metal figures with a touch of other colors.

But the madness of the blasphemer
Apparently he already owns me.
Unable to restrain myself,
I say shamelessly:

Monument, why do you need such big ears?
- TO HEAR BETTER!
- Monument, why do you need these? big hands?
- TO HUG YOU!
- Monument, why do you need these? big teeth?
(doesn't answer...)

Mikhail Shcherbakov “I Erected a Monument”

In the practice of a technical homemaker, the need for patination often arises during the decorative etching of pieces of copper and its alloys; these two techniques are practically inseparable. Indeed, having obtained a certain relief image using chemical etching, for greater contrast, you should fill the recessed areas of the piece of iron with dark. This allows you to see the design from any angle and under any reasonable level of lighting. In addition, the finished piece of iron, after patination, acquires a spectacular “antique” appearance. Considering the simplicity of the process, it is simply unreasonable to neglect this decoration technique.

Compared to filling cavities with paint, artificial patina has a number of advantages - less toxic fumes and, in most cases, greater film strength.

The process is really simple, you just need to stock up on the necessary simple reagents.

The patination itself looks something like this: a layer of protective varnish is washed off from the etched piece of metal with a solvent (acetone). The entire piece of iron is patinated and covered with a dark layer. After drying, it is carefully sanded with “zero” sandpaper, while the patina layer on the surface of the workpiece is sanded off, and the patina in the recesses remains intact. The drawing “appears” in all its glory. Afterwards, it is advisable to polish the surface with a piece of felt with GOI paste and cover it with nitro or acrylic varnish. And you can admire it, squinting with pleasure.

This can be a scale of an instrument or device, a dial, a tag, a nameplate, a decorative panel or an overlay on the case. All this makes our finished device unique, and I daresay, beautiful or at least cute.

What was used in the work.
Tools.
Actually, some kind of measuring container, a container that you don’t mind throwing away, a larger one, for sintering sulfur liver, for a small amount, a tin jar is good, a portable gas burner for the same sintering. Container for the patination itself. To “patina” with coffee solution you will need a gas burner for soldering.

Materials.
Access to water (dissolving, washing), necessary chemicals, solvent, rags, GOI paste, cloth or piece of felt. Nitrolac.

Well, let's move on to recipes patination solutions.

A hypertensive person is secret from the doctor
I brewed very, very strong coffee at night
He ran around the hospital laughing,
Waking up the sick is a real source of pleasure.

Mango-mango “Source of Delight”.

A method learned from steampunkers - blackening saturated solution of instant coffee. Strictly speaking, the method is not entirely chemical - no reaction occurs, but a layer of dark soot-like substance is formed, which is firmly baked into the pits and recesses of the workpiece.

So, more details. A saturated solution of instant coffee is prepared in warm water. Bring to syrup consistency. Then, the etched blank of our piece of iron is smeared with this paste, from the drawing side, of course.

You can use a brush, you can just use your finger, small in a circular motion, that way, rubbing coffee paste into all the indentations. Afterwards, without drying, we burn the workpiece in the flame of a gas burner.

Here, it is important to more or less accurately maintain the temperature. It should be such that the workpiece almost begins to glow. Exactly. At the same time, the coffee paste on the surface turns into ash and soot, but in the recesses it still does not have time. If you don’t heat it up enough, the coffee won’t burn even on the surface and looks like a sticky, difficult-to-clean filth.

After the workpiece has cooled, the surface is ground with a zero grade, polished, and varnished.
The best way to heat it is with a gas burner; I tried placing the workpiece on burning coals - the heating was too fast and difficult to control. An extra moment and everything would burn.

Yes, sometimes the blackening in the recesses, for some reason, turned out not to be black, but gray. After coating with nitro varnish, the filling darkens and becomes coal black.

The method of “patination” is wonderfully good - the blackening comes out very dense and contrasting, the reagents are simple and accessible, the “patina” is not afraid of nitro varnish - you can rustle it with a brush without any special ceremony. However, in some cases, a method that requires high heating of the workpiece is not applicable - for example, a large and/or thin workpiece (possible warping) or inseparable melting or burning parts. In this case, we turn to traditional, chemical patination. Yes, chemical patination, in addition, looks more “authentic”, more similar to the natural patina so valued by antique lovers.

I'll bring you several recipes for solutions artificial patina from available components.

- Sulfuric ointment

Colours: From light brown to black.

Sulfur ointment is applied in a small amount to the workpiece and rubbed in in a circular motion until desired color patinas. In the open air, the patination process occurs quite quickly and some copper alloys instantly acquire a black tint. This patina is unstable and can be easily rubbed off with your fingers. It is recommended to apply the ointment to the workpiece completely immersed in water, having previously lubricated it with Vaseline or vegetable oil. Then the patina lays down more evenly and less intensely.

If during the patination process the workpiece or its area becomes excessively black, it can be washed off. soap under running warm water.

A golden-brown patina with a slight crimson tarnish and moderate shine is obtained using a solution of the following composition, g/l:

Copper sulfate СuSO4 5Н2О_________________________________20
Potassium permanganate KMnO4__________________________________________5

A solution at room temperature is applied with a brush to the prepared surface of the product, washed after a day. hot water, dry and repeat the operation 3-4 more times. Upon completion of the film formation, the surface is polished with a dry cloth. The same result can be obtained by keeping the product in a solution of the given composition for 4-5 minutes (subsequent processing is the same). When immersed in this solution, heated to 95-99°C, a uniform dark brown film forms on the surface of copper and copper alloys.

To obtain a patina from light to dark brown, use a solution of the following composition, g/l:

Potassium permanganate KMnO4___________________________20
Sulfuric acid (density 1.84 g/cm3)___________________7

A solution at room temperature is applied to the surface of the exhibit; after drying, the surface is washed with hot water and dried. The treatment can be repeated 2-3 times to obtain a uniform and dense layer of patina. The film must be compacted by polishing with a dry rag or bristle brush.

A beautiful olive-brown patina can be achieved using copper oxychloride solution(HOM). . This substance is used as a fertilizer and is sold in the appropriate departments of stores under the abbreviated name HOM. A popular and widely used fertilizer.

For ~600 ml of water, two heaped tablespoons of oxychloride. After dissolving, pour in 100 ml ammonia, pharmacy. For a more uniform result, it is recommended to stir the solution, or hang the product on a wire and dangle it in the solution. If the product was overexposed in the solution and it became completely black, then it can be returned to its original state with a solution of Trilon B. Just keep in mind that Trilon corrodes zinc faster than copper, so the surface will become a little more porous and susceptible to further coating.

For patination of copper you can use sodium thiosulfate in ampoules, which are available for sale in almost all pharmacies.

And finally, a classic of the genre - "liver of sulfur". A simple, fast and convenient reagent for applying a durable, beautiful patina. It stores well in dry form, the components for production are easily accessible and not expensive. The only negative is that it should be cooked (liver from the word “oven”) in the open air.

To prepare sulfur liver, you need to mix one part of powdered sulfur with two parts of potash in a tin can and put on fire. After a few minutes, the powder will melt, darken and begin to sinter, gradually acquiring a dark brown color. During sintering, sulfur vapor may ignite with a weak blue-green flame. Do not knock down the flame, it will not deteriorate the quality of the sulfur liver. After about 15 minutes, stop sintering.

For long-term storage, crush the sulfur liver into powder and place it in a glass jar with a tight lid. When making a solution in one liter of water, add 10–20 g of liver sulfur powder. The patina obtained on metal in a solution of sulfur liver is durable and beautiful.

Sulfur is easy to obtain at hardware stores, garden stores, and similar stores. It is presented as an additive to animal feed. In addition, you can ask at pharmacies that have a medicine preparation department.

Potash - potassium carbonate (K2CO3), is not so easy to obtain now, but there is a completely acceptable substitute. Soda ash (Na2CO3). Great fit - also an alkali metal, the same acid residue and the same amount. You don't have to count anything. Sold in hardware stores, next to washing powders.

Homeopathy Classic Encyclopedia of Home Medicine by J. Laurie

SULFUR LIVER (GEPAR SULFUR)

SULFUR LIVER (GEPAR SULFUR)

Related drugs . Spongia, Dulcamara, Sulfur.

Specific action. On the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract; on the skin and glandular apparatus; for absorption and excretion; to the salivary glands.

Application. Stubborn and inflammatory skin diseases, especially on the head and face; mercury abuse disorders; persistent ulcers, boils and abscesses, inflammatory lesions of the respiratory tract; bronchitis; gum disease from mercury; croup; inflammatory and chronic cough; inflammation and drainage from the ears; inflammation of the glands, predisposition to suppuration; inflammation of the tonsils; toad; erysipelas; pustules on the connective membrane of the eyes; ulcers on the cornea; diphtheria.

Symptoms

Outside surface. Inflammation of the skin with redness, heat, swelling and tenderness; pimples between the roots of the hair, very sensitive and painful; unhealthy skin with a predisposition to ulceration; enlarged glands with inflammation or suppuration, ulcerative or rash diseases of the skin with foul-smelling discharge; severe itching, itching and fever; skin cracking; nodular swelling of the joints, very painful and sensitive, sweat easily caused; dry heat throughout the body; hot flashes, accompanied or replaced by sweat, burning redness of the face, or inflammation, or erysipelas; hives; hard breast swelling; foul-smelling sweat under the arms; heat, redness, and swelling of the ankles; weeping scabs on the head; scabs behind the ears; red hot swelling of the joints; adhesive, sour sweat, especially at night and in the morning; the hair comes out and the head remains completely bald; redness and swelling of the nose; lips are swollen or ulcerated; pimples on forehead; swelling of ankles, feet and knees; cracking of the skin of the legs; yellowish complexion, blue circles under the eyes.

Breath. Weakness in the chest; partial or complete loss of voice; whistling, rapid, hoarse, anxious breathing; shortness of breath, cough and profuse sputum; severe suffocating cough ending in gagging; deep, suppressed cough with difficulty breathing; persistent hoarseness; rough voice; habitual fever at night; soreness of the upper respiratory tract; deep sharp sighs after coughing; constricted breathing, with the head thrown back to facilitate air access; cough appears immediately after swallowing liquid; dry cough with convulsive gagging and vomiting; or moist cough with rattling of mucus in the chest and suffocation when lying down.

Stomach, intestines and feces. Indigestion; heaviness, bloating of the stomach even after the lightest food; belching with stomach contents and heartburn; extreme thirst; changeable appetite, sometimes gluttonous; greenish, bilious or sour vomiting with mucus; urge to go down with veining; loose, dry, or lumpy stools; or very thin, bloody, clayey and sticky, or whitish with sour smell; very hot and dark urine, mostly at night; or copious cloudy and whitish urine with sediment of the same color.

Pain. Drawing, tearing, stitching in the joints and limbs, especially when touched; tickling in the throat, as if there was a fish bone stuck there; shrill burrowing or boring headache and forehead as if it were crushed or opened; pain in the eyes, as if they were being pressed into the brain; tugging, gnawing pain in the teeth; tearing, jerking pain in the bones of the face, jaws, ears and temples; stitching or cutting in the liver and spleen; pain or constriction in the intestines; aching legs; shooting or pain in the lower back, as if bruised, or shooting, cutting, stabbing in the chest; pain when moving the eyes.

Eyes and ears. Chronic inflammation of the eyes, eyelids and ears; eyes red, hot, inflamed; offensive drainage from the ears; itching in the ears; ears are red and swollen on the outside; overnight glueing of eyelids; protrusion of the eyes or convulsive closing of them; lacrimation at night or towards night and sensitivity to light during the day.

Nose, mouth, throat and gums. Drainage from one nostril; nose bleed mainly in the morning, with dullness or exacerbation of smell; profuse drooling; whitish, curdled ulcers in the mouth; swelling, heat and redness of the tonsils; Gums are hot, swollen and painful.