Technological and Nuclear Institute - Unit of Physics and Accelerators 1

Application of Ion Beam Analysis Techniques to the Study ofCultural Heritage Objects

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What is IBA?

• The IBA (Ion Beam Analysis) techniques use a high energetic beam of accelerated particles to study the composition/quality of different samples in a non-destructive way.

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• The accelerated beam induce in the sample the emission of secondary radiation or particles. There is a specific IBA technique to study each one:

– PIGE (Proton-Induced Gamma Emission)

– NRA (Nuclear Reaction Analysis)

– ERDA (Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis)

– RBS (Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry)

– PIXE (Particle Induced X-ray Emission)

Ion BeamSample

RBS

X- RayPIXE

Gamma RayPIGE

What is IBA?

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What is IBA?

RBS and specially PIXE, with the possibility of using an external beam, are ideally suitable for Cultural Heritage studies.

Principal characteristics:– Non-destructive - low beam currents are used.– Possibility of puntual or scan analysis. – Short time needed for analysis.– The external beam is ideal for:

• big samples, • fine samples (no vacuum is needed)• not picking up samples

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PIXE, What for?

Conservators, Restorers, Historians, Archaeologists,...– Degradation degree– Original materials used

or after restaurations– Surface treatments– Etc.

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PIXE for Coins/Jewellery

• Composition (gold, silver, copper, alloys…)• Corrosion state • Surface composition according with the

surrounding environment where they were found

• Classification of the objects according the date/composition:– provenance (mines, workshops) identification, – counterfeits selection, – historical studies (manufacturing technologies,

commercial, etc)

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PIXE for Glasses, Stained Glass, etc

• Glass and pigments composition (Na, K, Fe, Cu, Pb…)

• Surface composition according with the surrounding environment (i.e. Humidity)

• Classification of the objects according the date/composition:– counterfeits selection, – historical studies

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PIXE for Fabrics, Tapestries...

• Identify and evaluate the nature and the conservation state of the fibres and employed mordants by the Arraiolos dyers,

• Information on the composition, structure and degradation processes,

• Fibres evaluation of the fibre,• Surface, fracture morphology and mordant

analysis

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PIXE for Sculptures, Ceramics

• Pigments composition,• Surface composition according with the

manufacture techniques• Classification of the objects according the

date/composition:– restoration, – Conservation processes

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PIXE for Paintings

• Surface composition for a better and adequate rehabilitation/restoration: – organic / inorganic materials– varnish composition / thickness

• Actual pigments composition• Homogeneity• Study the deterioration according with the

pigments

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PIXE for Manuscripts

• Ink composition according with the date/location

• Degradation due to external agents • Ink composition homogeneity• Ink-parchment detection

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PIXE at ITN

The Research Group is working in IBA techniques since 1982, using an 2,5 MV Van de Graaff. For PIXE experiments an Oxord Microbeams - Ion microprobe with a lateral resolution of 1,5 µm is used.

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External - PIXE at ITNThe external microbeam for PIXE experiments is available since 2008. Since then, multiple studies in Cultural Heritage have been performed in collaboration with Universties, Museums...Examples: Arraiolos tapetries, Roman glasses, Monasterio da Batalha stained glasses, jewelry, ceramics, etc.

Sample

Detector

Ion beam

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External-PIXE at ITN: Case StudyArraiolos rug - 17th century - Portuguese Ancient Art National Museum collection (MNAA).

Colour hues can be obtained by using different mordants with the same dye.

Wool composition: S, Si, Ca and K;

Presence of Al due to a pre-mordantingprocedure;

2D elemental mapping by μ-PIXE of historical samples

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PIXE at ITN: Other works

• "Stained glass under the microprobe: a window into history", M. Vilarigues, P. Fernandes, L.C. Alves e R.C. da Silva, Nuclear Instrum. and Methods, B, 267 (2009) 2260-2264.

• "Stained glass from Monastery of Batalha: non-destructive characterization of glass and paintings", P. Fernandes, M. Vilarigues, L.C. Alves e R.C. da Silva, J. of Cultural Heritage, 9, pp. e5-e9 (2008).

• “Rediscovering the materials of Arraiolos tapestries: fibre and mordant analysis by SEM- EDS and μ-PIXE”, A. Manhita, C. Costa, T. Ferreira, J. Mirão, H. Vargas, I. Ribeiro, I. Seruya, T. Pacheco, L. C. Alves, A. Candeias, Micros. Microanal, 14, pp.91-94, 2008

• "Feixes de protões na análise de objectos de arte ou arqueológicos: microssonda de feixeexterno", P.A. Rodrigues, L.C. Alves, M. Vilarigues, G. Encarnação, R.C. da Silva16.ª Conferência Nacional de Física, Caparica, Portugal, 3-6 de Setembro, 2008.

• "Probing Roman Glasses with an External Beam", P.A. Rodrigues, L.C. Alves, G. Encarnação, R.C. da Silva, 11th International Conference on Nuclear Microprobe Technology and Applications, Debrecen, Hungary, 20-25 July, 2008.

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PIXE at ITN: Other works

• "External beam analysis of Roman glasses", P.A. Rodrigues, L.C. Alves, G. Encarnação, R.C. da Silva, PIXE 2007 – 11th International Conference on PIXE and its Analytical Applications, Puebla, Mexico, May 25-29, 2007.

• "EDXRF, Micro-PIXE and RBS Study of a "Pre-Columbian" Gold Artefact", P. Valério, L.C. Alves, P.A. Rodrigues, A.M.M. Soares, M.F. Araújo, Technart 2007 – MicroanalyticalTechniques in Art and Cultural Heritage Research, Sociedade Portuguesa de Física, Lisboa, 25-28 April, 2007.

• "External Microbeam end-station at ITN Nuclear Microprobe", L.C. Alves, P.A. Rodrigues, M. Vilarigues, R.C. da Silva, ICNMTA 2006 – 10th International Conference on Nuclear Microprobe Technology and Applications, Singapore, 9-14 July, 2006.

• "Ion beam and Infrared analysis of medieval stained glass", M. Vilarigues e R.C. da Silva, Applied Physics A, vol.79, 373-378 (2004).

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PIXE around the worldIn the latter years PIXE technique is more used to study the Cultural Heritage objects, alone or as a complementary technique.Others facitities are, for example:

• National Institute of Nuclear Physics, LABEC, Firenze, Italy

• Museums Research Laboratory of France. AGLAE, Louvre, France

• National Accelerators Centre, University of Sevilla, Spain

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PIXE at ITN: Team

The research group members are part of thePhysics and Accelerator Department of ITN.

• Luis C. Alves, Microprobe Responsible Researcherlcalves@itn.pt

• Rui M.C. da Silva, Principal Researcherrmcs@itn.pt

• Victoria Corregidor, Auxiliary Researchervicky.corregidor@itn.pt

• Alexandra Rodrigues, Restoreralexandra.rodrigues@itn.pt

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MINISTÉRIO DA CIÊNCIA, TECNOLOGIAE ENSINO SUPERIOR Estrada Nacional 10, 2686-953 Sacavém - Portugal

Tel. +351-21-9946000 - Fax: +351-21-9550117http://www.se.itn.pt/ConsRest/MicroFEx/http://www.itn.pt/facilities/pt_lab_ion_beam.htm