text: The attack takes the form of a reaction between ammonia and copper to form the cuprammonium ion, formula [Cu(NH)], a chemical complex which is water-soluble, and hence washed from the growing cracks. The problem of cracking can therefore also occur in copper and any other copper alloy, such as bronze. The tendency of copper to react with ammonia was exploited in making rayon, and the deep blue colour of the aqueous solution of copper(II) oxide in ammonia is known as Schweizer's reagent.