1. Study methods and mechanisms

1.1 Study methods

The characterization of patinas involves surface analysis methods [26] , but the approach must take into account, in addition to the traditional criteria of scale and type of information sought (elemental and structural composition, microstructure, physical and chemical properties), two additional criteria: appearance (colorimetric and spectroscopic properties) and whether or not the measurements taken are destructive.

Like any characterization, it can only be done by combining several methods adapted to the scale of the problem and the issues at stake [3] .

Since the appearance of a patina...