Chemical and Physical Methods for the Cultural Goods Conservation
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide a specific information about the main physico chemical methods that allow a characterization of crafts, produced with materials of biological and/or technological origin, the relevant modification related to their aging and/or to external factors, like atmospheric insults, chemical and microbiological aggression, as well as to damages produced by an inadequate conservation.
Expected learning outcomes
The student becomes familiar with physical properties used as parameters to evaluate the conservation and/or establish the restoration criteria of art crafts, with particular emphasis to thermodynamics, kinetics, rheology, spectroscopy, various kinds of microscopy and image analysis.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
1. Criteria for sampling from artifacts; spectroscopic techniques and electromagnetic spectrum; light sources and light control methods; principles of spectroscopic techniques and phenomena observed by UV-VIS, infrared, and Raman scattering spectroscopy.
2. Microscopy and imaging techniques: scanning and transmission electron microscopy; MultiSpectral, digital (RGB vs. CMY), and false-color trichrome imaging; IR imaging: reflectography and thermography.
3. X-ray-based techniques: diffraction (XRD), absorption spectroscopy (XAS), fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), and photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). A glimpse into the main neutron-based techniques.
4. Processes and evaluation of the aging of materials and artifacts, alteration and degradation, and prediction of the life expectancy of a cultural heritage item or of its components.
5. Aging and degradation processes via thermal, photochemical, and chemical processes: methods for assessing the stability of cultural heritage items by accelerating the chemical kinetics of the degradation processes. Accelerated kinetics with climate chambers, micro-fading, and weathering tests. Slowing down the degradation kinetics by controlling environmental parameters.
6. Stability and conservation of the main constituent materials of cultural heritage artifacts.
- Pigments and dyes: their stability and the photochemical and photocatalytic degradation processes.
- Alteration and degradation processes of glass artifacts and conservation methods.
- Stability and preservation of metal artifacts: corrosion, passivation, and protection.
- Major organic materials: their chemical and physical properties and degradation mechanisms: ivory, wood, cellulose, paper, textiles, dyes, and additives. The main analytical techniques for this family of materials: gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, and detectors.
- Structural materials and their degradation mechanisms
- Identify forgeries and stolen artifacts by chemical and physical analysis of the employed materials.
2. Microscopy and imaging techniques: scanning and transmission electron microscopy; MultiSpectral, digital (RGB vs. CMY), and false-color trichrome imaging; IR imaging: reflectography and thermography.
3. X-ray-based techniques: diffraction (XRD), absorption spectroscopy (XAS), fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), and photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). A glimpse into the main neutron-based techniques.
4. Processes and evaluation of the aging of materials and artifacts, alteration and degradation, and prediction of the life expectancy of a cultural heritage item or of its components.
5. Aging and degradation processes via thermal, photochemical, and chemical processes: methods for assessing the stability of cultural heritage items by accelerating the chemical kinetics of the degradation processes. Accelerated kinetics with climate chambers, micro-fading, and weathering tests. Slowing down the degradation kinetics by controlling environmental parameters.
6. Stability and conservation of the main constituent materials of cultural heritage artifacts.
- Pigments and dyes: their stability and the photochemical and photocatalytic degradation processes.
- Alteration and degradation processes of glass artifacts and conservation methods.
- Stability and preservation of metal artifacts: corrosion, passivation, and protection.
- Major organic materials: their chemical and physical properties and degradation mechanisms: ivory, wood, cellulose, paper, textiles, dyes, and additives. The main analytical techniques for this family of materials: gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, and detectors.
- Structural materials and their degradation mechanisms
- Identify forgeries and stolen artifacts by chemical and physical analysis of the employed materials.
Prerequisites for admission
Basic knowledge of mathematics, physics, and general chemistry.
Teaching methods
Lectures and seminars. Attendance to the lectures is highly recommended.
Teaching Resources
Lectures sides, provided by the professor and selected chapters of the textbooks:
"Scientific Methods and Cultural Heritage", G. Artioli, Oxford Press
"Elementi di Archeometria" A. Castellano, Egea
Scientific articles from the recent literature, provided during the lectures.
"Scientific Methods and Cultural Heritage", G. Artioli, Oxford Press
"Elementi di Archeometria" A. Castellano, Egea
Scientific articles from the recent literature, provided during the lectures.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of an oral presentation, followed by a discussion. The presentation will focus on a case study independently identified by the student within the recent international scientific literature and concerning studies of diagnostics and conservation of cultural heritage.
Professor(s)
Reception:
All working days upon appointment
Chemistry Department, ground floow, wing B, office number R28