It is of great significance to clarify the corrosion mechanism of rust layers on bronze ware for appropriate conservation measures. In this study, the corrosion behavior of Cu-Sn bronze alloys in a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution and a simulated archaeological soil solution was studied and compared using electrochemical measurements, microscopic observations, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that the presence of Cl⁻ was the key factor leading to the formation of harmful rust such as Cu₂(OH)Cl₃. In the NaCl solution, the rapid accumulation of Cl-containing corrosion products provided a certain degree of protection to Cu-Sn alloys, but the products easily fell off, thus increasing the continuous corrosion reactions again. This resulted in a significant increase in the corrosion rate of the alloy (i_corr from 4.845 μA·cm⁻² to 27.21 μA·cm⁻²) and a decrease in polarization resistance (R_p from 5.17 kΩ·cm² to 3.27 kΩ·cm²). In contrast, the corrosion reactions of the Cu-Sn alloy were dominated by complex ions other than Cl⁻ in archaeological soil environments, and the corrosion products tended to form stable and dense rust layers (i_corr was always lower than 1.6 μA·cm⁻², and R_p was maintained above 24 kΩ·cm²), which improved corrosion resistance by two orders of magnitude compared to the unstable rust layer that formed in NaCl solution. In addition, Cl-containing corrosion products boosted the wettability of rust layers, thereby facilitating penetration of corrosive media that strengthened corrosion reactions. This study deepens our understanding of the degradation mechanisms of bronze artifacts and provides a scientific basis for developing bronze conservation strategies.

Bronzes, as crucial cultural relics, face preservation challenges from chloride-induced corrosion. This study develops a composite inhibitor system using 2-acetylamino-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (AMT) and disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) to protect corroded bronzes through surface passivation and structural optimization. The artificially corroded bronze (R0) has a loose and porous layer with main compositions of Cu₂O and Cu₂(OH)₃Cl. The corroded bronzes after treated by single AMT inhibitor (R1) and AMT-EDTA composite inhibitors (R2) possess the flatter corrosion layers than R0. Furthermore, the chelation effect of EDTA removes unstable corrosion products on R2, creating a denser structure with lower roughness and weaker water-droplet wettability than R1. The denser layer reduces reactive areas for corrosive reactions on bronzes, and the weaker wettability can suppress the diffusion of corrosive mediums, endowing R2 with the optimal corrosion resistance. These findings advance understanding of bronze corrosion inhibition and provide a scientific basis for developing new protective agents.

The persistent discharge of refractory toxic organic pollutants poses a severe threat to aquatic environmental safety, driving the urgent demand for high-efficiency water treatment technologies in environmental engineering. Fenton and Fenton-like oxidation processes have garnered extensive attention due to their robust oxidizing capacity and environmental benignity; however, traditional Fenton systems are constrained by inherent limitations, including a narrow applicable pH range, potential secondary pollution, and cumbersome catalyst recovery. To address these challenges, Fenton-like catalysts have evolved progressively from single-metal systems to multi-metal alloy configurations. This review systematically elaborates on the fundamental principles and technical bottlenecks of classical Fenton and Fenton-like reactions, while comprehensively summarizing the research progress of multi-metal alloy catalysts—encompassing binary alloys, multi-component alloys, and high-entropy alloys. Special emphasis is placed on dissecting the core mechanisms through which multi-metal alloys optimize redox cycles and enhance structural stability, leveraging intermetallic synergistic effects, unique electronic structures, and lattice distortion. Furthermore, this work synthesizes key performance enhancement strategies for such catalysts, including co-catalyst synergy, external field assistance, and supported composite modification. Ultimately, this review aims to provide a scientific foundation and technical reference for the rational design, development, and engineering application of high-performance Fenton-like catalysts in sustainable wastewater remediation.

In 2021, archeologists found that a bronze mirror was wrapped with a yellow-green fiber sheet in the Western Han tomb M68 in the Dabuzi Cemetery in Xi’an, China. To ascertain the composition and function, a scanning electronic microscopy–energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) were combined for the morphology and components’ analysis. The results showed that the surface of the yellow-green fiber sheet was very rough without curtain patterns, and the fiber was disorderly intertwined. The paper was quite thick with various thicknesses (the average thickness was 0.58 mm) and the average diameter of the fiber was 20.71 μm. There were obvious transverse joint stripes on the fiber cell with longitudinal stripes characteristic of ramie or hemp. The main ingredients were cellulose, semi-cellulose, and lignin. Based on the above comprehensive joint experiments, the yellow-green fiber sheet in M68 was presumably ancient hemp paper made with the fixed-mold method. Moreover, it was speculated to be a package material since no characters were found. This paper is of great significance for studying the Chinese fixed-mold paper-making technique and for understanding the origins and developmental trajectory of ancient paper-making technology.

Due to notable water–salt activities, salt damage easily recurs and becomes one of the biggest challenges for the protection of ancient murals. Herein, superhydrophobic SiO₂ materials with different sizes were used to modify mural ground layer substrates, and the improvement effect mechanisms were systematically evaluated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM), and a contact angle instrument. The results show that the superhydrophobic SiO₂ can spread into the substrates though holes and cracks and further increase the contact angles of the substrates to water droplets. Compared with the initial ground layer substrate, the substrates treated with the superhydrophobic SiO₂ possess stronger mechanical strength and a better ability in suppressing water–salt activity. In particular, larger-size SiO₂ (mSiO₂) maintains better mechanical reinforcement in the substrates, because mSiO₂ can provide better support in the internal gaps of the substrates. By contrast, nSiO₂ can spread deeper into the substrate than mSiO₂, and more greatly improve the contact angle to water droplets, endowing nSiO₂ with a better ability to restrain water–salt activity. Our study provides an alternative idea for solving salt damage in murals, and promotes the application of SiO₂ materials in heritage conservation.