Spectroscopic and Morphologic Investigation of Bronze Disease: Performance Evaluation of Portable Devices

Year: 2022

Authors: Porcu D., Innocenti S., Galeotti M., Striova J., Dei L., Carretti E., Fontana R.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Florence, Dept Chem Ugo Schiff, Via Lastruccia 3-13, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy; Univ Florence, CSGI Consortium, Via Lastruccia 3-13, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy; CNR, Natl Inst Opt, Largo E Fermi 6, I-50125 Florence, FI, Italy; Opificio Delle Pietre Dure, Via Alfani 78, I-50121 Florence, FI, Italy.

Abstract: Copper alloy artworks are particularly subjected to chloride attack, which may trigger bronze disease. Therefore, early identification of the phenomenon is crucial in order to stabilize the reactive copper chloride (CuCl) and remove the harmful corrosion products (atacamite and polymorphs). Confocal Raman Microspectroscopy (CRM) has proven to be effective for the detection of small amounts of atacamite, ascribable to the initial phases of corrosion. The handling of bronze artworks is often difficult or even impossible given their large size and weight, and sampling is not always allowed, making the use of portable instruments mandatory for on-site diagnostics. This paper proposes a method for the early detection of corrosion using non-invasive approaches. In this work, we present the results obtained from a set of artificially aged bronze samples with a suite of either laboratory (bench-top) or field (portable/transportable) instruments with the aim of highlighting their characteristics and performances in the diagnosis of bronze disease. Raman spectroscopy, Fiber Optics Reflectance Spectroscopy (FORS), Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were applied for chemical and morphological characterization of the samples.

Journal/Review: HERITAGE

Volume: 5 (4)      Pages from: 3548  to: 3561

More Information: The BRAVO Bruker Sequentially Shifted Excitation Raman instrument was acquired through SHINE project funding (strengthening the Italian nodes of E-RIHS, Avviso 424/2018 dell’Azione II.1 PON R&I 2014-2020, DD n. 461 del 14-03-2019).
KeyWords: copper trihydroxychlorides; bronze disease; artificial patina formation; cultural heritage; OCT; Raman spectroscopy; FORS; SEM
DOI: 10.3390/heritage5040184

Citations: 5
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