Journal of Nuclear Science, Engineering and Technology (JONSAT)
In cooperation with the Iranian Nuclear Society

Combination of particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) spectrometry and proton-induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE) spectrometry for analysis of azure color in tile

Authors

Marjan Ghadiri
Mohammad Torkiha Esfahani
Abstract
Ion beam analysis (IBA) has been widely used for fast, sensitive, multi-elemental and nondestructive analysis without any sampling, especially for the pigment analysis. External beam PIXE and PIGE techniques are applied simultaneously to large archaeological samples, kept at atmospheric pressure during the irradiation. In this research work, an external beam was used for the analysis of lapis lazuli samples and the azure color of the archaeological tile. By comparing the spectra, we found that cobalt is used to create azure color in archaeological tiles, while in lapis lazuli, no cobalt is observed and sodium is the characteristic element of the azure color in the lapis lazuli samples. It was also shown that lapis lazuli can be identified by the ion beam analysis.
 
 

Keywords

PIXE
PIGE
Azure color analysis
Archaeological tile
[1] H. Khajeh-Bidokhti, Research on precious and semi-precious gemstones in Iran and in the world, Geological Survey of Iran, Tehran (1388).
[2] J. Plesters, Ultramarine blue, Natural and artificial, in artists pigments, A. Roy (Ed.), National Gallery of Art and Oxford University Press, 2 (1993).
[3] D. Bradley, D. Creagh, Physical techniques in the study of art, archaeology and cultural heritage, Elsevier B.V. (2006).
[4] L. Beck, L. Pichon, B. Moignard, T. Guillou, P. Walter, Nucl. Instrum. Methods. Phys. Res. B, 269 (2011) 2999.
[5] A. Zucchiatti, F. Agullo-Lopez, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. B, 278 (2012) 106.
[6] T. Calligaro, J.C. Dran, E. Ioannidou, B. Moignard, L. Pichon, J. Salomon, Nucl. Instrum. Methods. Phys. Res. B, 328 (2000) 161–163.
[7] O. Enguita, M.T. Fernandez-Jimenez, G. Garcia, A. Climent-Font, T. Calderon, G.W. Grime, Nucl. Instrum. Methods. Phys. Res. B, 384 (2004) 219-220.
[8] L. Giuntini, M. Massi, S. Calusi, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 576 (2007) 266.
[9] M. Torkiha, M. Lamehi-Rachti, O.R. Kakuee, V. Fathollahi, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., B, 268 (2010) 1517.
[10] P. Oliaiy, F. Shokouhi, J. Rahighi, M. Lamehi-Rachti, N. Golabi, Int. J. of PIXE, 12 (2002) 245-251.
[11] O. Kakuee, V. Fathollahi, P.Oliaiy, M. Lamehi-Rachti, M. Sharafi, M.B. Kasiri, PIXE analysis of Persian miniature used in 16th century poetry manuscript, Acta Physics Polonica A, 125 (2014) 1244.
[12] F. Mathis, G. Othmane, O. Vrielynck, H. Calvo del Castillo, G. Chêne, T. Dupuis, D. Strivay, Nucl. Instr. and Meth, Research B, 268 (11) (2010) 2078-2082.
[13] R. Bugoi, V. Cojocaru, B. Constantinescu, T. Calligaro, L. Pichon, S. Rohrs, J. Salomon, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. B, 266 (2008) 2316–2319.
[14] T. Calligaro, Y. Coquinot, L. Pichon, B. Moignard, Advances in elemental imaging of rocks using the AGLAE external microbeam, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. B, 269 (2011) 2364–2372.
[15] Software WinQxas, http://winqxas. software. informer.com.
[16] Software FitzPeak, http://www. jimfitz. demon.co.uk.
[17] Z. Smit, Recent developments of material analysis with PIXE, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. B, 240 (2005) 258–264.
[18] T. Calligaro, Y. Coquinot, L. Pichon, G. Pierrat-Bonnefois, P. de Compos, A. Re, D. Angelici, Characterization of the lapis lazuli from the Egyptian treasure of Tôd and its alteration using external μ-PIXE and μ-IBIL, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, 318 (2014) 139-144.
[19] A. Re, Lapis lazuli provenance study by means of micro-PIXE, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. B, 269 (2011) 2373-2377.
[20] A. Re, D. Angelici, A. Lo Giudice, E. Maupas, L. Giuntini, S. Calusi, N. Gelli, M. Massi, A. Borghi, L.M. Gallo, G. Pratesi, P.A. Mando, New markers to identify the provenance of lapis lazuli: trace elements in pyrite by means of micro-PIXE, Appl Phys A, 111 (2013) 69-74.
[21] M.M. Abbasian, Glazing industry and the colored glazes, Gothenburg Publishing Co., Tehran & Mashhad, (1370) 95-150.
[22] M. Ghadiri, Low- Z elements analysis of ancient sherds by nuclear reaction analysis, university of kashan (Jan 2012).

Home