When Glass and Metal Corrode Together, VI: Chalconatronite

Chalconatronite, Na2[Cu(CO3)]2·3H2O, is formed as a corrosion product when copper alloys are exposed to sodium carbonate solutions in the air. This also happens when metals come into contact with corroding soda glass which forms alkaline surface films in reaction with humidity from clean air. More often, substantial amounts of formaldehyde are present indoors which react to formate via the Cannizzarro reaction and accumulate over time in the films. Twenty cases of chalconatronite (including two mentioned in the literature) are reported as occurring on heritage objects with glass in contact with copper alloys: Baroque reliquaries with set glass gems, enamel on metal (sixteenth century and a modern replica of intentionally unstable composition), Christmas tree glass baubles with wires, glass buttons with metal shanks, a glass figure with a wire support, miners’ lamps, and a glass framed daguerreotype. These confirmed identifications might help conservators in investigating similar cases to shed more light on the formation conditions.