scholarly journals Decay Process of Serpentinite: The Case of the San Giovanni Baptistery (Florence, Italy) Pavement

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 861
Author(s):  
Alba Patrizia Santo ◽  
Beatrice Agostini ◽  
Carlo Alberto Garzonio ◽  
Elena Pecchioni ◽  
Teresa Salvatici

Serpentinite is a low-grade metamorphic rock derived from the transformation of ultramafic rocks. Mainly because of its aesthetic characteristics it has been widely used as a building and ornamental stone. “Verde di Prato” is the most common local name used in Tuscany to refer to this type of rock, historically quarried in this area and used for many centuries in a large number of monuments of this region. In this paper, we report the results of a study carried out on the serpentinite from the pavement of the Florence baptistery, to properly characterize it from a physical point of view, describe the rock conservation state, and understand the phenomena responsible for its decay. The studied rock displays numerous forms of decay including fractures, loss of material, erosion, discolouration and efflorescence. X-ray diffractometer analyses of the efflorescence revealed the presence of numerous salts whose formation can be imputed to multiple, possibly concomitant, causes such as the high relative humidity and the variation of inside temperature, the presence of concrete and/or cementitious mortars in the subsoil, atmospheric pollution and the burial ground existing close the baptistery.

2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 123-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hai Zhang ◽  
S Sfarra ◽  
A Osman ◽  
C Ibarra-Castanedo ◽  
X P V Maldague

The conservation of artworks is playing an increasingly important role in society today. Non-destructive investigation can provide the potential to identify deterioration as early as possible. In this research, transmission mid-wave infrared (MWIR) vision and air-coupled ultrasound (ACU) were used to investigate two paintings on canvas made from different textile support materials. An X-ray technique was used in the work for validation. It was found that the transmission mode can probe deeper and the differences in absorption due to the different textile support materials can be distinguished. This paper summarises advantages of the transmission inspection mode and compares and analyses images from the two techniques from a physical point of view.


Author(s):  
Thomas R. McKee ◽  
Peter R. Buseck

Sediments commonly contain organic material which appears as refractory carbonaceous material in metamorphosed sedimentary rocks. Grew and others have shown that relative carbon content, crystallite size, X-ray crystallinity and development of well-ordered graphite crystal structure of the carbonaceous material increases with increasing metamorphic grade. The graphitization process is irreversible and appears to be continous from the amorphous to the completely graphitized stage. The most dramatic chemical and crystallographic changes take place within the chlorite metamorphic zone.The detailed X-ray investigation of crystallite size and crystalline ordering is complex and can best be investigated by other means such as high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The natural graphitization series is similar to that for heat-treated commercial carbon blacks, which have been successfully studied by HRTEM (Ban and others).


Author(s):  
J.D. Shelburne ◽  
G.M. Roomans

Proper preparative procedures are a prerequisite for the validity of the results of x-ray microanalysis of biological tissue. Clinical applications of x-ray microanalysis are often concerned with diagnostic problems and the results may have profound practical significance for the patient. From this point of view it is especially important that specimen preparation for clinical applications is carried out correctly.Some clinical problems require very little tissue preparation. Hair, nails, and kidney and gallbladder stones may be examined and analyzed after carbon coating. High levels of zinc or copper in hair may be indicative of dermatological or systemic diseases. Nail clippings may be analyzed (as an alternative to the more conventional sweat test) to confirm a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis. X-ray microanalysis in combination with scanning electron microscopy has been shown to be the most reliable method for the identification of the components of kidney or gallbladder stones.A quantitatively very important clinical application of x-ray microanalysis is the identification and quantification of asbestos and other exogenous particles in lung.


2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (8) ◽  
pp. 21-26
Author(s):  
Elena-Emilia Oprescu ◽  
Cristina-Emanuela Enascuta ◽  
Elena Radu ◽  
Vasile Lavric

In this study, the SO42-/TiO2-La2O3-Fe2O3 catalyst was prepared and tested in the conversion of fructose to ethyl levulinate . The catalyst was characterized from the point of view of the textural analysis, FT-IR analysis, acid strength distribution, X-ray powder diffraction and pyridine adsorption IR spectra. The influence of the reaction parameters on the ethyl levulinate yield was study. The maximum yield of 37.95% in levulinate esters was obtained at 180 �C, 2 g catalyst and 4 h reaction time. The effect of ethyl levulinate addition to diesel-biodiesel blend in different rates, i.e, 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5 (w.t %) on density, kinematic viscosity and flash point was evaluated and compared with the European specification.


1970 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 181-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
ERIK ERIKSSON

The term “stochastic hydrology” implies a statistical approach to hydrologic problems as opposed to classic hydrology which can be considered deterministic in its approach. During the International Hydrology Symposium, held 6-8 September 1967 at Fort Collins, a number of hydrology papers were presented consisting to a large extent of studies on long records of hydrological elements such as river run-off, these being treated as time series in the statistical sense. This approach is, no doubt, of importance for future work especially in relation to prediction problems, and there seems to be no fundamental difficulty for introducing the stochastic concepts into various hydrologic models. There is, however, some developmental work required – not to speak of educational in respect to hydrologists – before the full benefit of the technique is obtained. The present paper is to some extent an exercise in the statistical study of hydrological time series – far from complete – and to some extent an effort to interpret certain features of such time series from a physical point of view. The material used is 30 years of groundwater level observations in an esker south of Uppsala, the observations being discussed recently by Hallgren & Sands-borg (1968).


1985 ◽  
Vol 50 (10) ◽  
pp. 2139-2145
Author(s):  
Alexander Muck ◽  
Eva Šantavá ◽  
Bohumil Hájek

The infrared spectra and powder X-ray diffraction patterns of polycrystalline YPO4-YCrO4 samples are studied from the point of view of their crystal symmetry. Mixed crystals of the D4h19 symmetry are formed over the region of 0-30 mol.% YPO4 in YCrO4. The Td → D2d → D2 or C2v(GS eff) correlation is appropriate for both PO43- and CrO43- anions.


Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 486
Author(s):  
Alcina Johnson Sudagar ◽  
Slávka Andrejkovičová ◽  
Fernando Rocha ◽  
Carla Patinha ◽  
Maria R. Soares ◽  
...  

Metakaolins (MKs) prepared from low-grade kaolins located in the Alvarães (A) and Barqueiros (B) regions of Portugal were used as the aluminosilicate source to compare their effect on the compressive strength and heavy metal adsorption of geopolymers. Natural zeolite, an inexpensive, efficient adsorbent, was used as an additive in formulations to enhance geopolymers’ adsorption capacities and reduce MK utilization’s environmental footprint. Geopolymers were synthesized with the replacement of MK by zeolite up to 75 wt.% (A25, B25—25% MK 75% zeolite; A50, B50—50% MK 50% zeolite; A75, B75—75% MK 25% zeolite; A100, B100—100% MK). The molar ratios of SiO2/Al2O3 and Na2O/Al2O3 were kept at 1 to reduce the sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide environmental impact. Geopolymers’ crystallography was identified using X-ray diffraction analysis. The surface morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy to understand the effect of zeolite incorporation. Chemical analysis using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy yielded information about the geopolymers’ Si/Al ratio. Compressive strength values of geopolymers obtained after 1, 14, and 28 days of curing indicate high strengths of geopolymers with 100% MK (A100—15.4 MPa; B100—32.46 MPa). Therefore, zeolite did not aid in the improvement of the compressive strength of both MK-based geopolymers. The heavy metal (Cd2+, Cr3+, Cu2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+) adsorption tests exhibit relatively higher adsorption capacities of Barqueiros MK-based geopolymers for all the heavy metals except Cd2+. Moreover, zeolite positively influenced divalent cations’ adsorption on the geopolymers produced from Barqueiros MK as B75 exhibits the highest adsorption capacities, but such an influence is not observed for Alvarães MK-based geopolymers. The general trend of adsorption of the heavy metals of both MK-based geopolymers is Pb2+ > Cd2+ > Cu2+ > Zn2+ > Cr3+ when fitted by the Langmuir isotherm adsorption model. The MK and zeolite characteristics influence geopolymers’ structure, strength, and adsorption capacities.


Coatings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 570
Author(s):  
Olga Sánchez ◽  
Manuel Hernández-Vélez

ZnOTe compounds were grown by DC magnetron cosputtering from pure Tellurium (Te) and Zinc (Zn) cathodes in O2/Ar atmosphere. The applied power on the Zn target was constant equal to 100 W, while the one applied on the Te target took two values, i.e., 5 W and 10 W. Thus, two sample series were obtained in which the variable parameter was the distance from the Te targets to the substrate. Sample compositions were determined by Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) experiments. Structural analysis was done using X-Ray diffraction (XRD) spectrometry and the growth of the hexagonal w-ZnO phase was identified in the XRD spectra. RBS results showed high bulk homogeneity of the samples forming ZnOTe alloys, with variable Te molar fraction (MF) ranging from 0.48–0.6% and from 1.9–3.1% for the sample series obtained at 5 W and 10 W, respectively. The results reflect great differences between the two sample series, particularly from the structural and optical point of view. These experiments point to the possibility of Te doping ZnO with the permanence of intrinsic defects, as well as the possibility of the formation of other Te solid phases when its content increases. The results and appreciable variations in the band gap transitions were detected from Photoluminescence (PL) measurements.


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