Stereomicroscopic observation of the patina and of the sensors surface has been performed using a Leica M205C stereomicroscope, equipped with a Leica DFC290 digital camera.
Infrared spectra of patinas were recorded in transmission mode, in the spectral range between 4,000 and 400 cm−1 with 4 cm−1 resolution, using a Thermo Electron Nicolet 6700 FTIR spectrometer.
A Philips PW1830X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD) with a PW3020 generator, in the Bragg-Brentano geometry and Thin Film, copper anticathode (Kα1 radiation;, was used for phase identification of patinas.
Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM) was performed using a Zeiss EVO 50 EP instrument equipped with a LaB6 source and an Oxford INCA 200—Pentafet LZ4 X-ray spectrometer was used to observe patina morphology and to determine elemental compositions.