Benzotriazole for Copper: Smart Protection, Not a Cure

Summary for benzotriazole for copper Discussion

bright copper preservation with benzotriazole is discussed as a possible pretreatment for small exterior copper pieces, but Ted Mooney cautions that it is not a silver bullet against tarnish or corrosion. In his reply to Dave Lindley, he says benzotriazole can likely be applied on a small scale, such as by dipping, and is useful as a pretreatment before a clear coat or lacquer. However, for outdoor service he recommends a brass lacquer or clear coat as the real protection, with periodic renewal every few years. He specifically mentions products such as Incralac and Permalac as examples of lacquers that can be used after the benzotriazole step. The thread’s practical takeaway is that benzotriazole helps, but long-term outdoor brightness depends on a maintained topcoat rather than the pretreatment alone.

Q. I found a Copper Development Association article. In the article is the following:

“Chelating Agents. Benzotriazole and other chelating agents interact with copper and its alloys to prevent tarnishing. Chelating agents are preferentially absorbed on the surfaces of the metals and act as an invisible barrier to elements or compounds which might cause corrosion. In this way they protect the metal against oxidants permeating through the coating and continue to protect even after a minor defect has formed in the coating. Chelating agents may be included in the coating formulation or applied as part of a pretreatment procedure.”

I am specifically interested in the above process to retard copper corrosion on small exterior copper pieces. I’ve not been able to find out how to use the agents and if they can be done on a small scale (dip tank) for a craft business. Any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Dave Lindley
– PORTLAND Oregon
March 14, 2021

“The Chemistry of Benzotriazole Derivatives”

on Amazon

eBay

AbeBooks

(affil link)

March 2021

A. Hi Dave. Benzotriazole

⇦ on

eBay

Amazon [affil link]
is great stuff, and yes you probably can apply it yourself … but don’t expect anything to be a silver bullet against tarnish and corrosion. For stuff that’s going to be outdoors I think you are going to need a brass lacquer or some sort of a clear coat, and it’s going to have to be periodically renewed every few years. Benzotriazole is a great pretreatment before the lacquer/clearcoat (please read the rest of this thread for info about that), and you can even buy lacquers like Incralac

⇦ on

eBay or

Amazon [affil link]
or Permalac [adv: Permalac on
eBay] which include benzotriazole if you want to do it that way — but a permanently bright untarnished copper without a clearcoat doesn’t sound likely to me except in very benign environments.

Luck & Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey

Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.

⇩ Similar, related, Q&As — oldest first ⇩

I create copper sculptures with a bright finish and would like to preserve the brightness by applying benzotriazole, possibly followed by a clear acrylic lacquer. I think dipping in a benzotriazole solution would be the easiest way to provide thorough coverage for these pieces. Would alcohol (methanol
[affil link]?) be the best solvent for this application? What concentration of benzotriazole would give a good level of protection?

Thanks,

Bert Smith
– Austin, Texas
2003

I would agree that immersion is a good method of application. Alcohol is a good solvent. Benzotriazole is water soluble at about 2 percent, and is sometimes used as a treatment for recirculating cooling water at low concentrations. It is soluble in alcohol to 50-75 percent, so that would probably be a good solvent for your application. Normally you should get a technical data sheet as well as an MSDS which should give application help.

However, I think a better approach may be to obtain a proprietary and commercial benzotriazole based corrosion inhibitor product rather than to mix benzotriazole with alcohol yourself. The proprietary process might include wetting agents, stabilizers, anti-fume products, a lacquer or varnish, etc., that makes it a usable end-product without the need to reinvent the process sequence.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey

Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.

My husband gave me a beautiful 3-tier water fountain for my birthday. I DO NOT like the look of copper with patina. I like it shiny and new. Is there a finish I can apply to the copper, maybe spray on, that would keep it from getting weathered/patina? How often would I need to reapply the product? Thanks!
Melody

Melody Matchett
hobbyist – New Glarus, Wisconsin
June 3, 2008