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X-ray powder microdiffraction for routine analysis of paintings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2012

Veronika Simova*
Affiliation:
Academic Laboratory of Materials Analysis of Paintings (ALMA), Institute of Inorganic Chemistry AS CR, 250 68 Rez, Czech Republic Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, U Akademie 4, 170 22 Prague 7, Czech Republic
P. Bezdicka
Affiliation:
Academic Laboratory of Materials Analysis of Paintings (ALMA), Institute of Inorganic Chemistry AS CR, 250 68 Rez, Czech Republic Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, U Akademie 4, 170 22 Prague 7, Czech Republic
J. Hradilova
Affiliation:
Academic Laboratory of Materials Analysis of Paintings (ALMA), Institute of Inorganic Chemistry AS CR, 250 68 Rez, Czech Republic Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, U Akademie 4, 170 22 Prague 7, Czech Republic
D. Hradil
Affiliation:
Academic Laboratory of Materials Analysis of Paintings (ALMA), Institute of Inorganic Chemistry AS CR, 250 68 Rez, Czech Republic Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, U Akademie 4, 170 22 Prague 7, Czech Republic
T. Grygar
Affiliation:
Academic Laboratory of Materials Analysis of Paintings (ALMA), Institute of Inorganic Chemistry AS CR, 250 68 Rez, Czech Republic Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, U Akademie 4, 170 22 Prague 7, Czech Republic
*
a)Electronic mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Laboratory powder X-ray microdiffraction with a focusing monocapillary and linear multichannel detector was applied to phase identification in fragments of painting layers of art works, canvas and wall paintings, and polychromes on wood. This method is useful in materials research of painting layers with complex stratigraphy, and it is indispensable in distinguishing inorganic pigments of different natural provenance and revealing degradation products. The advantage of X-ray microdiffraction is its nondestructive nature and no need of sample pretreatment. Samples after microdiffraction can hence be used for other analyses or archived. Another advantage is the possibility to work with samples smaller than 1 mm, which is particularly important in the analysis of artworks where the sample amount or size is a serious limit of using the laboratory techniques of materials research. The X-ray equipment used is more economical and more easily accessible than other microdiffraction techniques and is, hence, suitable for routine analytical work.

Type
Technical Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2005

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