Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-18T04:12:19.896Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Study on the discolouration of pigments induced by laser irradiation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 October 2002

T. Stratoudaki ,
A. Manousaki ,
K. Melesanaki ,
V. Zafiropulos  and
G. Orial
Get access

Abstract

Laser irradiation may alter the colour of certain pigments used in artworks. Owing to the increasing use of lasers in artwork conservation, this problem becomes extremely crucial especially in the case of a polychromy covered by environmental encrustation. X-ray diffraction analysis and optical microscopy were used to study the crystalline structure of selected irradiated pigments in order to identify the changes that take place upon laser irradiation. Two representative pigments were studied, cinnabar (HgS) and lead white (Pb(OH)2 2PbCO3). The results revealed a change in the crystalline phase or chemical composition, respectively, which can be barely detected owing to its superficial character, which is of a sub-micrometer scale.

Type
Research Article
Information
Metallurgical Research & Technology , Volume 98 , Issue 9: Art et surfaces , September 2001 , pp. 795 - 801
Copyright
© La Revue de Métallurgie, 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)