Blackening copper at home video. Homemade selective coatings. Methods using chemical reagents. Do-it-yourself patination (blackening, aging) of copper, brass and bronze Burning of copper at home

Copper is not a noble metal, but it has long been used in the manufacture of banknotes. Copper is also used as an element of decoration of buildings, furniture and jewelry. Over time, this metal changes its color: it acquires black and brown shades. The darkening of copper is the result of a chemical reaction of the metal surface with oxygen, as a result of which its oxidation occurs. Now, in order for copper to acquire the desired shade, there is no need to wait: mankind has learned to accelerate these oxidative processes by means of special means and methods. Information on how to blacken copper at home is contained in this article.

What is patina?

Due to the fact that oxygen has little activity, the oxidation process lasts for decades. As a result of this interaction, the formation of a patina is observed - a surface film of a greenish tint. According to experts, it prevents damage to the metal. Since in ancient times copper was used to make coins, figurines, various souvenirs and household items, today these objects, subjected to oxidative processes, have a changed color and general view. Blackening of copper is performed in order to give the product an old, and therefore, a rare look, so that when you see it, there is a desire to buy this thing.

About staining methods

Color change is carried out by oxidation and patination. These methods are not synonymous as both processes ultimately yield different results. In the first case, due to oxygen-containing elements, oxides and oxides are formed on the metal surface. In the second, the blackening of copper occurs with the help of chlorine and sulfur.

Preparatory stage

Before you start patinating copper at home, you need to carefully prepare. The copper product is cleaned, degreased, washed and dried. According to experts, it is undesirable to use a towel for this purpose, since particles of tissue may remain on the surface. Due to the fact that very toxic chemicals will be used in the process of blackening copper, the master should adhere to safety precautions:

For storage of substances, special sealed test tubes must be used.
Solutions should be out of the reach of children.
The process should take place in a separate cabinet with ajar doors.

About dyeing with current

Judging by the reviews of home craftsmen, copper-ammonia solutions and sulfurous alkalis are mainly used for blackening. According to experts, blackening of copper is quite effective. electrolytically. Anodizing is carried out in an alkaline soda solution, the concentration of which is 80/o or more. A voltage of 2.5 V with a current density of 01-10 per dm is applied to the bath with a copper product. sq. Electrolysis lasts for 10-20 minutes.

The temperature indicator in the container must be at least 50 degrees. The process can be improved if ammonium molybdate is added to the bath. This soda alkali does not precipitate and is a catalyst for oxidative processes. The amount of ammonium should be within 0.1 a-3/o. Electrolysis lasts no more than 5 minutes. The oxide film is formed in two stages. If the workpiece is removed from the bath in the first phase, it can be seen that its surface is covered with a gray-steel dense precipitate, which has a metallic tint. No gas is released in this case. If the product continues to be treated with current, the precipitate turns from gray to black.

About the use of sulfuric ointment

Judging by the reviews, home craftsmen often work with copper rings and other small items - pendants and earrings. In such cases, experts recommend blackening copper with sulfuric ointment. According to many masters, the ointment can be applied to the product, and washed off after a while. However, in this case, the result is often unpredictable: it takes a long time to change the color, and it also happens that darkening may not occur. In connection with this fact, many home craftsmen practice blackening with sulfuric ointment vapors. Patination is carried out as follows:

To work, you need a glass container. A regular liter jar will work well. It must be weighted by placing a stone on the bottom. Metal objects should not be used, as the metal will react with sulfur, which is undesirable.
Using a plastic or glass rod, draw ointments in the range from 1 to 1.5 cm3. and place in the bottom of the container.
Make a loop from the forest, into which you then need to thread the patinated blank. The product should not touch sulfur, but stay in a suspended position.
Close glass container tightly.
Pour water into a large enamel pan, put a stand on the bottom, on which there will be a jar with a copper product. It is not difficult to make a coaster from a tin lid from a tea can. So that the bubbles formed during boiling do not raise the jar, it is advisable to equip the lid with several holes.
Put the pan on a gas or electric stove. When the water boils, the heating can be reduced.

The process of blackening copper can last for 2-3 hours. In the course of work, it is necessary to add water to the pan from time to time. In order to provide the product with an uneven patina, experts recommend periodically shaking the jar.

At the end, the processed copper jewelry is removed from the loop, cooled and thoroughly washed in running water. The used liter jar should be tightly closed with a lid, since with the remnants of the ointment it will be possible to carry out about seven more patinations in the future.

About homemade blackening solution

Judging by the reviews, many home craftsmen quite successfully blacken copper in vinegar, iodized salt and ammonia. Before patination, the copper product is washed in warm water and dries up. You should work with gloves. The room must be well ventilated. Since harmful fumes and splashes are formed during blackening, the master will need goggles. For work, you should acquire the following ingredients:

iodized salt (125 ml);
pure ammonia (375 ml);
vinegar (0.5 l.).

These substances are commercially available. Home craftsman it remains only to go for them to the pharmacy or garden shop.

Progress

In order to blacken copper at home, you need to dip the workpiece into the prepared mixture of soda, vinegar and ammonia. In this case, it is important to monitor the reaction. Some masters are controlled in seconds. If the blackening result is not satisfactory, then the processed copper thing in the container can be held longer. For those who want the product to become brown, experts recommend using baking soda and water.

Ideal as a mixing container regular bottle. Soda is poured into it until it is completely dissolved. Then the copper product is placed on the bottom of a container. The prepared mixture is poured there. Some craftsmen fill sprayers with it and simply spray their contents onto a copper surface. However, this is not worth doing. In this case, the workpiece will turn out with an uneven copper color. A copper product treated with a solution should be in a plastic bag for some time: from 1 to 8 hours. It all depends on what color the master wants to get.

About blackening with boiled eggs

Considered the most in a simple way which does not require special chemicals. As a result of a chemical reaction from high temperature sulfur is released in the yolk.

When it interacts with the metal, the latter acquires a dark brown hue. It will be possible to achieve the expected result if the work is performed in the following sequence:

Boil a few eggs. Their number depends on the size of the processed product.
Remove after 10 minutes and refrigerate. After the eggs are carefully cleaned from the shell.
Cut into several small pieces.
Put the prepared egg mass on the bottom of the container. A piece of copper is placed next to it.
Cover the container tightly with a lid.

According to experts, in order for the product to change its shade, half an hour will be enough for it. If the master wants more dark color, then the metal needs to be held longer. The disadvantage of this method is the short-term and unstable effect. The achieved result often disappears after a while. Also, the resulting shade will disappear if the copper reagent is a more aggressive chemical.

About patination with potassium sulfide

This method is considered one of the best. The reagent may have a solid, gel-like and liquid state of aggregation. In solid it is stored for more than one year, and in liquid - only a couple of weeks. Sulphide must be diluted in water. The solid is pre-crushed to a powder state, and then filled with water. Metal is dropped into the resulting mixture.

Experts recommend preparing another container with soda diluted in water with a ratio of 1:16. This will stop the aggressive effect of ammonium on the product in time. The reaction will be terminated if the metal is lowered into a container with diluted soda.

How to paint metal with copper sulfate?

With this method, a red-brown film should form. To work, you need three ingredients that are mixed in the following ratio: water (50%), blue vitriol and zinc chloride 25% each.

A copper product is dipped into the prepared solution. To get a white-green plaque, experts recommend additionally using potassium permanganate. For one liter of water, 5 g of this substance will be needed.

Copper is a light colored metal often used in decorative purposes, including in the manufacture of furniture, art and jewelry. The copper surface reacts with oxygen and other gases in the atmosphere and over time develops a characteristic layer of color, or patina. Although in most cases the patina has green tint, there is also a patina of brown and even black. The color of the patina is determined by processing metal surface so you can try various ways copper processing and find the one that best suits you.

Steps

Darkening copper with boiled eggs

This method can be used for creating a lung and little effect. The yolks of hard-boiled eggs contain some sulfur and its compounds, which react with copper and cause the surface to darken to brown and black. Although this method is more time consuming than potassium sulfide and does not produce as dramatic results, it does not require any special equipment other than hard boiled eggs and a container with a lid.

Hard boil two or more eggs. For a small piece of copper jewelry, take 2-3 eggs, for a larger item or a set of several things, eggs should be more. Place the eggs in a pot of boiling water and boil them for at least ten minutes. The sulphurous smell of overcooked eggs and the greenish layer around the yolk will give you reliable indications that the eggs are ready.

Break up the boiled eggs. Use a spoon or other utensil to crush the eggs. If you use a bag as a container, you can put eggs in it and crush them inside.

Place the copper item and the eggs in the container. To avoid the formation of colored spots on the copper, try not to touch the metal and the eggs. Place copper objects on a separate saucer or on the far side of the container.

Cover the container. Cover the container tightly with a lid or plastic bag. This is necessary so that the gases emitted by the eggs do not leave the container, but accumulate inside.

Check the result periodically. Depending on the freshness of the eggs and their quality, the effect may appear in twenty minutes or several hours later. Check the container every half hour to an hour, and if you're going to make the copper as dark as possible, leave it overnight.

If necessary, get rid of excessive dullness by polishing. If the copper is too tarnished, wipe it with a clean cloth; you can also wipe individual areas if you want to achieve a non-uniform color.

Darkening copper with potassium sulfide

For significant darkening, use this method. Potassium sulfide and its accompanying sulfides react with copper, painting its surface in various colors. Although sulfide is more expensive and potentially more hazardous than the substances used in other methods, this way best suited for forming a layer of dark patina.

Purify copper. Wash the copper in warm soapy water. If the metal is clean initially, and there are no greasy spots or other visible dirt, simply wipe its surface with a clean cloth or towel.

Get the potassium sulfide in liquid, gel or solid form. Potassium sulfide is available in various forms. In liquid form, it is already diluted, but the shelf life of such a solution can be only a few weeks. Gel-like or dry sulfide must be diluted with water before use, but they are stored undiluted much longer. Please note that in dry form (so-called "lumpy" or "grainy") potassium sulfide can be sprayed, and its dust is harmful if inhaled.

Work with gloves and in a well-ventilated area. Wear latex or rubber gloves before handling potassium sulfide as it can irritate your skin if it comes into contact with it. Work for fresh air or in a well ventilated area, this is especially important when handling dry matter. The sulfide has a strong bad smell, to get rid of which good ventilation will help. If you have goggles, also wear them.
- If potassium sulfide comes into contact with the skin, move clothing aside and flush the affected area with running water for fifteen minutes.
- If sulfide gets into your eyes, rinse them under running water for fifteen minutes, while pulling back the lower and upper eyelids to better penetration water. It will also not be superfluous to visit a doctor.
- If you accidentally swallow potassium sulfide, induce vomiting immediately and then contact your doctor.
Dilute potassium sulfide. Gently crush the solid sulfide until the largest pieces are about the size of a pea; the darker material, which was earlier in the middle of large pieces, will act more strongly on copper. Dilute the resulting powder with about one cup (240 ml) of water. Gelled or liquid sulfide should be diluted according to the instructions attached to it, because different manufacturers can supply the substance in various concentrations, up to the one you need.
- A cold and fairly dilute solution will work for darkening copper, making it easier for you to control the change in color of the metal. A warm or hot solution will darken copper faster, but never dilute potassium sulfide with boiling water, as this releases harmful gases.
Prepare the baking soda solution ahead of time. The baking soda will neutralize the potassium sulfide, stopping the copper from darkening at the right time. Prepare an aqueous solution of baking soda in advance so that you can immediately stop the tarnishing of the metal. In a separate container, mix one part baking soda with sixteen parts water. The container should be large enough to completely contain your copper object.

Immerse the copper object in the potassium sulfide solution for one to two seconds using tongs. Using gloves and tongs, or small object tweezers, dip the copper into the potassium sulphide aqueous solution for a short time.
- If the copper object is too large, apply the solution to its surface with a brush or pour the solution into a larger container.
Repeat the process until the desired color is achieved. Remove the object from the solution and check its color; while doing this, do not bring it too close to unprotected eyes and do not raise it above eye level. Depending on the concentration of the solution and its temperature, copper can turn pink to black. Further dipping into the solution will result in darker colors and eventually you will get a black or dark gray patina.
- If the color changes are minimal, try heating the metal in a pot of hot, but not boiling, water. High temperatures will greatly speed up the browning process.
- If the metal has not darkened enough, try adding a teaspoon (5 milliliters) of pure ammonia to the solution. The addition of ammonia may result in a reddish rather than black patina.
To prevent further darkening, wash the metal with an aqueous solution of soda. Once the copper has turned the color you want, soak it in a bath of baking soda for a few minutes. After that, remove the item and wash it in warm soapy water.
- If the metal is darker than you intended, or if you want a more uneven coloration, gently scrub the copper surface with a wire cloth or baking soda powder diluted with a few drops of water.
- At the end of the work, baking soda can also be added to the potassium sulfide solution. It neutralizes the solution, and you can safely drain it down the sink.
For a longer preservation of the patina layer, cover the copper with wax or varnish. You can use any wax or varnish designed for metals, having previously consulted its description provided by the manufacturer. This will prevent or slow down further darkening of the copper.

Coloring copper green or brown with your own solution

Prepare your own solutions for painting metal. A natural green patina can be created with an ammonia solution, and a slightly darker color can be achieved with an aqueous solution of baking soda. These solutions are easy to manufacture and their use is described below.

Clean the copper. Wipe the metal with a dry cloth. If the surface is too dirty, the item should be washed in warm soapy water and then dried.

Patination of copper, as well as other methods of its decorative processing(including at home) allow you to make products made of this metal more attractive, give them a touch of noble antiquity. It is possible to subject such processing to objects made not only from copper, but also from its alloys such as.

Patination and oxidation

The surface of many metals (and copper is one of them), when interacting with the surrounding air and various chemicals, begins to become covered with a thin layer of oxides and oxides. This process, which also results in a change in the color of the metal surface, is called oxidation. For the most part, the process of metal oxidation occurs naturally, but people have learned to cause it artificially, in production or at home, which is done to give the product an aged look.

Oxidation should not be confused with patination, a process whose essence lies in the fact that on the metal surface, when interacting with various chemical elements a thin layer of sulfur or chloride compounds is formed. Patination, which, like oxidation, is accompanied by a change, can also be performed artificially using special formulations for this.

Copper aging occurs naturally over time or immediately when the surface is treated with any preparations.

If under natural conditions the process of oxidation and patina coating of copper or bronze can take years, then when using special solutions, patination occurs in a very short period of time. The surface of the product, placed in such a solution, literally changes its color before our eyes, acquiring a touch of noble antiquity. Using various chemical compositions, it is possible to perform procedures such as blackening of copper, patination of objects made of copper and bronze, blackening of brass in industrial and even at home conditions.

Preparation for processing

Having decided to perform patination or oxidation, you must not only carefully study the question of how to age brass, bronze or blacken copper, but also provide for the necessary safety measures. overwhelming majority chemical compositions, which are used to carry out such procedures, are very toxic and emit vapors that pose a significant danger to human health. Therefore, for the storage of such substances both in production and at home, vessels with well-ground stoppers should be used, which will prevent the ingress of toxic vapors into the surrounding air.

The procedure itself, carried out to change the color of the surface of the product under the influence of chemical substances, should be performed in a special cabinet to which the exhaust ventilation. It should be borne in mind that the doors of such a cabinet should be slightly ajar during the oxidation or patination process, which will ensure effective extraction of harmful vapors from its inside.

Products made of copper, brass and bronze should be thoroughly cleaned, degreased and washed in warm water before patination. After the patination or oxidation procedure itself, the treated objects are also washed and placed in sawdust to dry. The use of sawdust is a more gentle method of drying, since doing so with a fabric material can damage the thin film of the formed patina that has not yet been fixed with varnish. In addition, after patination, it is almost impossible to qualitatively remove moisture from the recesses on relief surfaces with the help of a fabric after patination, and sawdust can easily pull it out.

Color changes of copper and its alloys from gray to black

grey, dark gray or black and its alloy makes appearance products more attractive and presentable. To obtain these colors, the degree of saturation of which can be adjusted, the “sulfuric liver” composition, which has been used for more than a dozen years, is needed. It got its name due to the fact that in the process of cooking it must sinter, that is, turn into a caked mass.

To make such a composition for patination at home, you must perform the following steps:

one part of powdered sulfur is mixed with two parts of potash;
the resulting mixture is placed in tin can, which then must be put on fire;
after waiting for the melting of the powder and the beginning of its sintering, it is necessary to maintain this process for 15 minutes.

During the sintering of the powder, a blue-green flame may flash on its surface, which can not be knocked down, as it will not worsen quality characteristics sulfuric liver. After the end of sintering and complete cooling, the resulting mass should be crushed to a powder state. This powder, if placed in glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, can be stored for a long time.

In order to perform patination of various metal alloys with sulfuric liver, several basic methods are used.

Method #1

This method involves the use of an aqueous solution of sulfuric liver. With it, you can change the color of products made from the following materials:

copper;
sterling silver;
bronze and brass.

The colors that can be used to paint the surfaces of products using this method also differ:

copper and silver - purple, blue (very difficult to get), gray, brown-gray, black;
brass and bronze - soft golden.

If you did not know before how to age copper and form a strong patina film on the surface of this metal, which is distinguished by a rich black color, use this method. For its implementation, a copper product is placed in a solution consisting of a liter of water and 1–20 grams of sulfur liver powder.

To color copper light gray, the solution is prepared according to a different recipe: 2–3 grams of sodium chloride and sulfuric liver are dissolved in 1 liter of water. A copper product is placed in the resulting solution, the color change of which should be carefully monitored. After the color of the metal acquires the desired tone, the object to be patinated must be washed with water and dried in sawdust.

Method #2

For patination of copper, you can also use a solution prepared according to the following recipe: add to a saturated aqueous solution of copper sulfate ammonia and do this until the liquid becomes clear and bright blue. The cleaned and degreased workpiece is placed in such a solution for several minutes, after which it is removed and subjected to slight heating. After such manipulations, copper should acquire a rich black color.

Method #3

To use this method, which also allows high-quality blackening of copper even at home, the workpiece must be cleaned with a thin sandpaper. Do not touch the cleaned surface with your hands so that grease spots do not form on it. After preliminary preparation for patination, the object is treated with a solution of platinum chloride or completely immersed in it. In such a solution, if it does not cause an acidic reaction, a small amount of hydrochloric acid can be added.

Method #4

To form a strong oxide film on the surface of a copper product, which is distinguished by a rich black color, allows it to be immersed in a composition prepared from nitric acid And metallic copper. To make the color change of the copper part more intense, such a solution can be additionally heated.

Obtaining a patina of other colors

To form an oxide film of a different color on copper, you can even use one of the following methods at home.

Red-brown

To obtain a red-brown oxide film, a copper product is placed for several minutes in a composition prepared from one part of copper sulfate, one part of zinc chloride and two parts of water.

Gamma from light brown to black

To obtain such a patina, a copper object must be placed in a solution consisting of one liter of water and 20 grams of ammonium sulfide. By changing the heating temperature of the workpiece before patination, it is possible to regulate the intensity of staining.

Light brown

To give the surface of a copper product a light Brown color, it is necessary to treat it with a mixture of sodium chromium peak (124 g / liter), nitric (15.5 g / liter) and hydrochloric (4.65 g / liter) acids, 18% ammonium sulfide (3–5 g / liter). This solution is applied with a brush and aged for four to five hours.

I must make a reservation right away that I am not a chemist, and all knowledge is only those that have remained since school. Therefore, the recipe was not fully sustained and some deviations were made.

Blueish black color.

Processing lasts 25-30 minutes. at a temperature of 15-30°C.

Preparation of copper carbonate.

In this case, when recipes mention copper carbonate, in fact, they are usually talking about basic copper carbonate. To obtain it, you can use sulfate, acetate or copper nitrate. A solution of potassium or sodium carbonate (potash, soda) is added to an aqueous solution of one of these salts. The precipitated green-blue precipitate consists of basic copper carbonate of variable composition, nCuCO 3 x mCu(OH) 2 , where n and m can vary in some aisles, which is not very important for us in this case. The precipitate is filtered off, washed with water and can be used.

The process itself.

To blacken brass with this method, you will need:

copper sulfate;
baking soda;
ammonia;
two glass jars, preferably the same volume;
filter paper or something similar;
stirring stick.

The vitriol was purchased at a nearby hardware store in a department that sells all sorts of pesticides to combat garden pests.
Soda - in the nearest grocery store, where it simply abounds.
Ammonia - in the nearest pharmacy. But only 10%. As they explained to me, 25% is not for sale due to its danger.

	First we prepare copper carbonate. To do this, we need copper sulfate and ordinary soda.
	Dissolve vitriol in warm water. The solution needs to be saturated, i.e. add vitriol until it is still dissolved. The solution must be made so that it occupies only half the capacity.
	Then slowly, little by little, add soda to saturated vitriol. It is precisely because the solution begins to bubble like soda that I recommend making vitriol in just half the capacity.
	We stir. Over time, the bubbling subsides. I poured soda until the bubbling stopped. After a while, you will see that a finely dispersed suspension of pleasant turquoise color. On the surface, you can see that there is still a little fry seething.
	Now the resulting suspension must be filtered. There was nothing good at hand, except for napkins. The recipe says dry it. But I didn't do it.
	Now we need a 25% ammonia solution. As I already wrote, only 10% is available at the pharmacy. Here we will use it.
	Gradually add turquoise porridge to ammonia. The solution turns blue.
	We also need a saturated solution. Therefore, we add, without sparing, copper carbonate. You will end up with a blue-black liquid. That's what we need.

The solution is ready, it remains to lower the necessary details there. Blackening time, according to the recipe, 25-30 minutes.

If the part is overexposed in solution, copper carbonate will settle on it in the form of turquoise crystals, which, in principle, can then be easily scraped off with a fingernail without damaging the blackening;

If there are difficulties with removing the blue precipitate from the part, I recommend simply heating it in the flame of a candle or lighter. The sediment will immediately fall off by itself.

Copper is an inactive metal that is often used for decorative purposes. The article discusses the main methods for changing the color of copper at home and in the laboratory.

General information about metal color

OXIDATION OF COPPER AND BRASS

Copper is often used as decorative element on buildings, including in the manufacture of furniture, jewelry, objects of art. The surface of the metal enters into a chemical reaction when it comes into contact with oxygen, however, it takes several decades to complete it.

The fruit of the interaction of copper and air is patina - the same material, only with a greenish tint. Less common is a black or brown patina. Practice has shown that the color of the patina can be corrected if it is processed by special means or methods.

Processing methods

Blackening copper with boiled eggs

Under the influence of high temperature, chemical reactions occur in the yolk with the release of sulfur. The interaction of our metal with sulfur gives it a dark brown color. To chemical reaction passed correctly, the actions must be performed exactly with the instructions: eggs are boiled first, then a copper product is added. The number of eggs depends on the size of the copper product. They cook for exactly 10 minutes, after which they are removed and cooled.

Chilled chicken testicles are cleaned and finely kneaded by any means at hand. Next, you will need a small container with a lid and a wide bottom. Place the copper item and crushed testicles in a container. Be careful that both ingredients do not touch, otherwise colored spots will appear on the metal product and the blackening will end in failure.

The combined ingredients are closed for 20-30 minutes in a container. It is worth noting that the result of the experiment depends on the duration of their stay together - the longer both ingredients stay in a confined space, the darker the metal you get.

Advantages of the method: few resources are required to darken the metal: a couple of chicken eggs, old iron container and gas stove. Disadvantages of the method: short-term and unstable effect. Results achieved may disappear over time or upon reaction with a more aggressive chemical.

Changing the color of copper with potassium sulfide

This darkening method is considered one of the best ways to darken copper. Sulfide is a very active substance that must be used carefully at home. If it enters the respiratory tract, it can cause unpleasant symptoms of nausea, dizziness, etc.

The metal must be prepared - wash it in warm water and soap. Otherwise, the remains of dust, and greasy spots interfere with the normal course of a chemical reaction.

Next, a reagent is prepared - sulfide. It is sold in three forms: liquid, gel and solid. The shelf life of the reagent varies depending on its state of aggregation. For example, liquid sulfide is stored for no more than 2 weeks, while solid sulfide is stored for several decades. Check the date of manufacture before purchasing.

To carry out the reaction, you will need an empty container where solid sulfide is diluted or where liquid sulfide is poured. Dilute the reagent only with water (you can use cold or hot, there is not much difference). Be careful not to inhale its vapors.

The whole procedure is best done outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. As for the protection of the hands, it is better to wear protective gloves made of rubber or latex on the hands to prevent the aggressive substance from getting on the skin. For extra protection, wear regular goggles over your eyes.

If, for any reason, sulfide has got on the skin, then the affected area must be washed with plenty of running water. The same is done if it gets into the eyes. If the reagent penetrates inside, it is necessary to provoke vomiting and immediately consult a doctor.

Depending on the type of substance, it must be prepared in different ways:

Liquid and gel-like sulfide is diluted according to the instructions on the label;
The solid first crumbles to a powdery state, after which it is mixed with water until completely dissolved.

To darken copper, cold or light warm solution. Before you throw the metal into the solution, you need to prepare a solution of water with soda in a ratio of 1:16. Soda neutralizes the action of an aggressive substance and will instantly stop its action.

Copper salt changes color.

Put the copper part or product in a container and carefully monitor the reaction. Remove the product only with metal tongs. As soon as the blackening reaches the desired consistency, remove it from the sulfide solution and place it in baking soda to stop the reaction.

If the blackening is too slow, then the container can be slightly warmed up, this will speed it up. For even more acceleration, you can add 5 milliliters of ammonia. It is worth noting that the presence of ammonia gives copper a reddish tint, not black.

If the copper is too dark, it can be lightened with a regular detergent powder. Apply a little powder to the hard surface of the washcloth and rub it well. After that, the product is washed in warm water.

Homemade mortar

This method produces green or brown copper. To prepare the mixture, you will need: ammonia solution, baking soda, water and an empty container. Before proceeding with the color change, the part must be prepared - washed in warm water and wiped dry.

When working with ammonia, safety measures must be observed: conduct experiments only in a well-ventilated room, wear gloves and protect your eyes from harmful fumes and splashes.

To obtain green copper, blackening must be carried out with: an empty container, where 0.5 liters are poured. vinegar, 125 ml iodized salt and 375 ml ammonia (pure). The necessary ingredients can be purchased at the store and pharmacy. The amount of salt added affects the saturation of the color. Dip the copper into the prepared composition for a few seconds and carefully monitor the reaction. As soon as blackening suits you, remove the item and rinse with water.

Copper can also be made brown. For these purposes, you will need baking soda, water and a bottle. Soda must be added to the bottle until it stops dissolving. Put a metal object in a container and fill it with the prepared mixture. It is highly not recommended to use sprayers and other methods of applying a soda solution to copper. So you get an uneven color of the copper object.

The wet object is wrapped in a plastic bag and left in this form for 1-8 hours, depending on what contrast you want to get the color.

Thus, you can change the color of copper at home. To do this, you will need a metal container with a lid, water, a copper product, soda, vinegar and ammonia. Most of the listed ingredients are sold at the grocery store and pharmacy. When conducting experiments, do not forget about safety - use goggles and rubber gloves.