Abstract
High-energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction and imaging experiments were performed at the Advanced Photon Source on two ancient Chinese bronzes from the Art Institute of Chicago with the goal to nondestructively study their microstructure. The first object, a bronze fragment from an early Western Zhou dynasty vessel (Hu, 11th/10th century B.C.), was investigated with spatially-resolved diffraction to reveal the depth and composition of the surface corrosion layer as well as the composition and grain size of the underlying bronze core. The second object, a bronze dagger-axe (Ge, 3rd/2nd century B.C.) with a silver-inlaid sheath, was studied under both diffraction and imaging conditions. It was found to have been cast as a single object, answering longstanding scholars’ questions on whether the ceremonial object concealed an interior blade.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
G. Harbottle, B.M. Gordon, K.W. Jones, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. B 14, 116 (1986)
M. Schreiner, B. Fruhmann, D. Jembrih-Simburger, R. Linke, Powder Diffr. 19, 1 (2004)
M.F. Araujo, T. Pinheiro, P. Valerio, A. Barreiros, A. Simionovici, S. Bohic, A. Melo, J. Phys. IV 104, 523 (2003)
D. Grolimund, M. Senn, M. Trottmann, M. Janousch, I. Bonhoure, A.M. Scheidegger, M. Marcus, Spectrochim. Acta B 59, 1627 (2004)
K. Janssens, G. Vittiglio, I. Deraedt, A. Aerts, B. Vekemans, L. Vincze, F. Wei, I. Deryck, O. Schalm, F. Adams, A. Rindby, A. Knochel, A. Simionovici, A. Snigirev, X-ray Spectrom. 29, 73 (2000)
A. De Ryck, A. Adriaens, E. Pantos, F. Adams, Analyst 128, 1104 (2003)
B. Newbury, B. Stephenson, J.D. Almer, M. Notis, G.S. Cargill, G.B. Stephenson, D.R. Haeffner, Powder Diffr. 19, 12 (2004)
G.B. Stephenson, B. Stephenson, D.R. Haeffner, MRS Bull. 26, 19 (2001)
R.J. Gettens, J. Chem. Educ. 28, 67 (1951)
R.J. Gettens, The Freer Chinese Bronzes. In Freer Gallery of Art: Oriental Studies, No. 7. Smithsonian Institution, Washington (1969) pp. 127–131
B. Kanngiesser, W. Malzer, I. Reiche, Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. B 211, 259 (2003)
I. Constantinides, A. Adriaens, F. Adams, Appl. Surf. Sci. 189, 90 (2002)
C. Debiemme-Chouvy, F. Ammeloot, E.M.M. Sutter, Appl. Surf. Sci. 174, 55 (2001)
I. Mabille, A. Bertrand, E.M.M. Sutter, C. Fiaud, Corros. Sci. 45, 855 (2003)
L. Robbiola, J.-M. Blengino, C. Fiaud, Corros. Sci. 40, 2083 (1998)
S.F. Nielsen, A. Wolf, H.F. Poulsen, M. Ohler, U. Lienert, R.A. Owen, J. Synchrotron. Radiat. 7, 103 (2000)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
PACS
81.00; 01.75.+m
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Young, M., Casadio, F., Schnepp, S. et al. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction and imaging of ancient Chinese bronzes. Appl. Phys. A 83, 163–168 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-006-3504-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-006-3504-5