Unusual surface degradation products grown on archaeological bronze artefacts

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Vol. 113; no. 4; pp. 1121 - 1128
• Main Authors: Mezzi, A., de Caro, T., Riccucci, C., Faraldi, F., Veroli, C., Caschera, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.12.2013
• Subjects: ARCHAEOLOGY; Artefacts; Bronzes; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; CORROSION; CORROSION PRODUCTS; Degradation; Machines; Manufacturing; Materials science; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Optical microscopy; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Processes; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; X RAY SPECTROSCOPY; X RAYS; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy; Energy Dispersive Spectrometer; Chalcopyrite; Corrosion Product; CuFeS2; Energy Dispersive Spectrometer Spectrum
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-013-7771-7

Within the framework of the EFESTUS project funded by the European Commission a large number of Cu-based archaeological artefacts from the Mediterranean basin have been studied to investigate their chemical composition, metallurgical features and corrosion products nature (i.e. the patina ). By means of the combined use of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) the bronze artefacts have been studied for the detailed identification of the corrosion products and their micro-chemical structure in order to achieve information about degradation agents and mechanisms. In the present work, some examples of unusual corrosion products formed on the objects during the long-term burial are presented and related to the peculiar local context revealing the strong interaction between the bronze artefact and the chemical components found in the archaeological site.