Corrosion and Protection of Marine-recovered Iron Artifacts from Huaguang ReefⅠWreck

Hainan is located in the tropics with hot weather, high humidity and strong ultraviolet radiation, surrounded by the sea and the atmosphere containing a number of marine salts, which increase the difficulty to protect cultural relics. The marine-recovered iron artifacts from Huaguang reefⅠwreck had suffered from serious corrosion. The iron artifacts present rusting, loosening, brittle fracture, their surfaces are covered with white calcium-based concretions and reddish-brown rust layers. Some protection measures for iron artifacts of Huaguang reefⅠare proposed through reviewing the corrosion principle of iron artifacts and the current treatment methods from home and abroad.