10-04-2014
Abstract
Ancient and art materials are increasingly benefiting from advances in analytical chemistry. Studies usually aim either at rediscovering lost technological practices used to manufacture them or at better understanding degradation phenomena in order to develop effective conservation and restoration protocol. Within the very large set of analytical methods, those based on X-ray diffraction are largely employed. They can be used to reveal the material composition, being original ingredients, as well as degradation products, pollutants... In this talk, we will focus on techniques based on X-ray diffraction, but carried out on synchrotron facilities. These bright sources offer fundamental gains in terms of dwell time, spatial resolution, imaging capabilities, penetration depth, in-situ capabilities, etc, will be illustrated thanks to different examples of study of artistic materials, in particular paintings and pigments1. We will show as well that the possibility to combine XRD with other techniques is a clear asset to obtain a full picture of the materials.
1K. Janssens, M. Alfeld, G. Van der Snickt, W. De Nolf, F. Vanmeert, M. Radepont, L. Monico, J. Dik, M. Cotte, G. Falkenberg, C. Miliani and B. G. Brunetti, The Use of Synchrotron Radiation for the Characterization of Artists' Pigments and Paintings, Annual Review of Analytical Chemistry, 6, 399-425 (2013).
