AR-XRF measurements and data treatment for the evaluation of gilding samples of cultural heritage

Orsilli, Jacopo; Migliori, Alessandro; Álvarez, R.; Martini, M.; Gallí, Anna

doi:10.1039/d2ja00227b

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

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“…MA-XRF is typically adopted for elemental distribution characterization [37][38][39][40][41], and also combined with several other techniques [42,43] and specific data handling [44]. Indeed, even though there are works exploiting X-ray as radiation to perform stratigraphic studies [27,[45][46][47][48][49][50][51], MA-XRF has never been devoted to the determination of layer thickness. Indeed, other methods can be used for 3D topography when given conditions are present [52][53][54].…”

Section: Research Aimmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Macro X-ray Fluorescence Fast Mapping to Thickness Estimation of Layered Pigments

Zito,

Bonizzoni,

Ludwig

2024

Sustainability

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Even though X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is strictly an atomic method, this technique has been developed mostly at research centers for nuclear physics. One of its most valuable variations is the mapping mode that allows it to shift XRF from a punctual to an image technique. Macro X-ray Fluorescence (MA-XRF) is a widespread analytical technique applied in cultural heritage for characterizing the elemental composition of pigments with a non-destructive, rapid and green approach. When dealing with cultural heritage materials, the sustainability of the applied techniques is directly linked to the limited impact on the work of art. MA-XRF can reveal hidden sub-surface layers or restorations, but, nonetheless, it is hardly adopted for estimating the thickness of layers without resorting to complex Monte Carlo simulations or without combining information from other techniques. Exploiting the recurrent presence of lead white under pictorial layers in historical artworks, we perform a calibration on stand-alone layers produced ad hoc for the relative absorption of Pb L fluorescence lines, and then, their ratio is successfully used to estimate the thickness of azurite and ultramarine blue layers over lead white. The final result is rendered as a heatmap, easy to present to non-technical personnel frequently involved in the cultural heritage field. The new proposed procedure for calculating layer thickness extends the concept of non-invasive applications, paving the way to the possibility of performing stratigraphy without sampling.

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Section: Research Aimmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Macro X-ray Fluorescence Fast Mapping to Thickness Estimation of Layered Pigments

Zito,

Bonizzoni,

Ludwig

2024

Sustainability

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“…In our first experiment [77], we tested if AR-XRF could be employed for samples that present lateral inhomogeneities, as this is one of the main differences between samples in the cultural heritage and samples in the field of material science. For this reason, we prepared gilded metal samples using a copper sheet and covered them with a sequence of golden leaves.…”

Section: Case Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The signal of copper, which is the bulk layer, is affected by the attenuation of the layer of gold; thus, the thicker the layer of gold, the higher its attenuation; the signal of gold, instead, is affected only by the layer self-attenuation and increases as the gold layer thickens. In Figure 5 (taken from [77]), the calculated thicknesses of the golden layers are plotted on top, on the bottom instead of the thickness of the single leaf, compared with its nominal value. The thickness calculated using both the signal of copper (upward triangles) and gold (downward triangles) agrees with the theoretical thickness, especially for the samples with five and seven golden leaves, while in the sample with only three foils, there is an overestimation, probably due to the leaves deposition that has caused the formation of folds where the layer is thicker.…”

Section: Case Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Angle-Dependent XRF Analyses: Pros and Cons of a Novel Technique in the Field of Cultural Heritage

Orsilli,

Galli

2024

Sustainability

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In the cultural heritage field, non-invasive analyses are becoming more important as they avoid any sampling, allowing in situ measurements to be performed. XRF is one of the most common among those techniques, as it allows elemental speciation of the sample with a range that goes from F to U. However, the main limitation of this technique on cultural heritage objects is due to their intrinsic inhomogeneity, both lateral and in-depth. If MA-XRF has overcome the lateral inhomogeneity through the collection of multiple XRF spectra in different positions, it is more difficult to find an optimal way to perform in-depth analyses. Now, only confocal micro XRF allows for precise 3D analyses, as other techniques are limited to certain kinds of samples. In recent years, however, angle-resolved XRF has given promising results in the analysis of layered samples. In this study, we will review the information about this new analytical technique and its advantages and disadvantages in studying cultural heritage objects following our recent studies.

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“…Angle-resolved XRF (AR-XRF) spectrometry can be used to sample at different angles of detection or irradiation. Orsilli et al 85 applied the technique to the analysis of gilded samples. As the intensity of a certain element depends on its position inside the sample, on the sample structure and on the geometry used during the analysis, a change in the geometry could be used to retrieve information on the sample structure and to measure the mass thickness (mass per unit area) of bilayer samples.…”

Section: Cultural Heritage Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

2023 atomic spectrometry update – a review of advances in X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and its special applications

Vanhoof

Bacon

Fittschen

et al. 2023

J. Anal. At. Spectrom.

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AR-XRF measurements and data treatment for the evaluation of gilding samples of cultural heritage

Abstract: Angle Resolved XRF (AR-XRF) is an analytical technique in which the sample is analyzed at different angles of detection or irradiation. The change in the geometry affects the intensity of...

Cited by 7 publications

References 56 publications

Application of Macro X-ray Fluorescence Fast Mapping to Thickness Estimation of Layered Pigments

Application of Macro X-ray Fluorescence Fast Mapping to Thickness Estimation of Layered Pigments

Angle-Dependent XRF Analyses: Pros and Cons of a Novel Technique in the Field of Cultural Heritage

2023 atomic spectrometry update – a review of advances in X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and its special applications

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