The corrosion behavior of bronze in the presence of 2-amino-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (AMT) has been investigated in 5% citric acid by electrochemical measurements such as potentiodynamic polarization method and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). It has been revealed that AMT is a good inhibitor for bronze. Both cathodic process and anodic process on bronze treated with AMT were different from that on the bronze AMT treatment. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis was carried out to characterize the protective film, which revealed that the composition of the protective film was polymeric Cu(I)-inhibitor complex. AMT acted as bidentate ligand through the aminic nitrogen atom and the closed ring nitrogen in the complex. (C) 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers.