scholarly journals Towards building a Cathodoluminescence (CL) database for pigments: characterization of white pigments

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Palamara ◽  
P. P. Das ◽  
S. Nicolopoulos ◽  
L. Tormo Cifuentes ◽  
E. Kouloumpi ◽  
...  

AbstractPaintings and painted surfaces are considered to be extremely complex due to their multitude of materials and thus form the basis for particularly intricate Cultural Heritage studies. The combination of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Cathodoluminescence (CL) can serve as a powerful tool for the identification of individual pigments. SEM/CL has the potential of identifying both organic and inorganic pigments and can focus on a micrometer or even nanometer scale. The combination with Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) allows for robust, cross-checked, elemental and mineralogical characterization of pigments. In order to apply SEM/CL in a routine-based way for the identification of pigments, it is necessary to have a robust, open-access database of characteristic CL spectra of pigments. A large project has been undertaken to create such a database, focusing primarily at the pigments, both organic and inorganic, which were most commonly used from antiquity until today. In the present paper, the CL characterization of common white pigments is presented. White pigments were selected, due to their significance and frequency of use, since they were also present on the ground layers or mixed with other pigments in most of the painting layers. More specifically, the CL spectra of samples in pure form of calcite, kaolinite, lead white, zinc oxide, barium sulfate, lithopone and titanium white are presented. In all cases, the CL spectra present characteristic bands, which allow for a secure identification of the pigments. In order to facilitate comparison with other databases, EDS and RAMAN spectra are also presented. Additionally, the effect of weathering on the CL spectra was evaluated, by comparison to naturally and artificially aged samples and to pigments identified on areas of two paintings, of the 19th and 20th c., respectively. Finally, the effect of binding media was also studied, using combination of pigments with four common media: egg yolk, linseed, walnut and poppy oil. Overall, both weathering and binding media appear to cause minor differences in the occurring spectra, without preventing the identification of pigments.

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 300-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susana Coentro ◽  
Rui C. da Silva ◽  
Cátia Relvas ◽  
Teresa Ferreira ◽  
José Mirão ◽  
...  

AbstractThis work explores the combination of µ-Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy with X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) for the study of the glazes in 15th–16th century Hispano-Moresque architectural tiles. These are high lead glazes that can be tin-opacified or transparent, and present five colors: tin-white, cobalt-blue, copper-green, iron-amber, and manganese-brown. They are generally homogenous and mineral inclusions are mostly concentrated in the glaze-ceramic interface. Through SEM-EDS, these inclusions were observed and chemically analyzed, whereas µ-Raman allowed their identification on a molecular level. K-feldspars, wollastonite and diopside were the most common compounds, as well as cassiterite agglomerates that render the glaze opaque. Malayaite was identified in green glazes, and andradite and magnesioferrite in amber glazes. Co–Ni–ferrites were identified in blue glazes, as well as Ni–Fe–olivines. Manganese-brown is the color where most compounds were identified: bustamite, jacobsite, hausmannite, braunite, and kentrolite. Through the µ-Raman analysis of different areas in large inclusions previously observed by SEM, it was possible to identify intermediate phases that illustrate the reaction process that occurs between the color-conferring compounds and the surrounding lead glaze. Furthermore, the obtained results allowed inference of the raw materials and firing temperatures used on the manufacture of these tiles.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 3910
Author(s):  
Saba Shirin ◽  
Aarif Jamal ◽  
Christina Emmanouil ◽  
Akhilesh Kumar Yadav

Acid mine drainage (AMD) occurs naturally in abandoned coal mines, and it contains hazardous toxic elements in varying concentrations. In the present research, AMD samples collected from an abandoned mine were treated with fly ash samples from four thermal power plants in Singrauli Coalfield in the proximate area, at optimized concentrations. The AMD samples were analyzed for physicochemical parameters and metal content before and after fly ash treatment. Morphological, geochemical and mineralogical characterization of the fly ash was performed using SEM, XRF and XRD. This laboratory-scale investigation indicated that fly ash had appreciable neutralization potential, increasing AMD pH and decreasing elemental and sulfate concentrations. Therefore, fly ash may be effectively used for AMD neutralization, and its suitability for the management of coalfield AMD pits should be assessed further.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4840
Author(s):  
Fatai Arolu Ayanda ◽  
Mohd Firdaus Mohd Anuar ◽  
Syaharudin Zaibon ◽  
Shamshuddin Jusop

The physical, chemical and mineralogical characterization of the constituents of magnesium-rich synthetic gypsum produced in a rare earth-refining plant located in Gebeng, Pahang, Malaysia was conducted through elemental chemical analysis, scanning electron microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX)-analyzer, thermal analysis, X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction. The crystalline nature of the by-product was studied using FTIR spectroscopy. Elemental analysis confirmed the presence of Ca and Mg, which are essential macronutrients required by plants and this Ca alongside the high pH (9.17) of MRSG may confer on the material a high acid neutralization capacity. From the result, it was observed that the studied by-product is a heterogeneous crystalline material comprising of gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O) and other major components such as calcium (magnesium) compounds (hydroxide, oxide, silicates, and carbonate) and sulfur. These aggregates may contribute to give an acid neutralization capacity to MRSG. The XRD study of MRSG indicated a high content of gypsum (45.4%), shown by the d-spacing of 7.609 Å (2-theta 11.63) in the diffractogram. The infrared absorption spectra of MRSG indicate close similarities to mined gypsum. The results of the characterization indicated that MRSG has valuable properties that can promote its use in amending soil fertility constraints on nutrient-deficient tropical acid soils.


1968 ◽  
Vol 46 (8) ◽  
pp. 983-988 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Z. Augustyniak ◽  
W. G. Martin

Two glycopeptides (A and B) were isolated from pronase-digested vitellenin, the protein moiety of the low-density lipoprotein of hen's egg yolk. Aspartic acid was the only N-terminal amino acid of both glycopeptides but only A contained N-acetylneuraminic acid. A contained 55% hexose (mannose), 14% hexosamine, 12% N-acetylneuraminic acid, 0.71% amide nitrogen, and its molecular weight was 2.3 × 103. The corresponding values for B were 64, 17, 0.0, 0.75, and 2.0 × 103. Chemical analyses showed that B (and probably A) occurs in vitellenin with the heteropolysaccharide group bound N-glycosidically via the β-amide group of an asparaginyl residue. The indicated structure is R∙(NH)Asp∙Thr∙Ser∙(Ala, Gly, Val)∙Ile, where R, the heteropolysaccharide group, contains 2 hexosamine and 8 hexose residues.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document