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Visualization of vermilion degradation using pump-probe microscopy
- Source :
- Science Advances
- Publication Year :
- 2019
- Publisher :
- American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2019.
-
Abstract
- Pump-probe microscopy identifies metacinnabar and metallic mercury as possible degradation product of vermilion (α-HgS).<br />Here, we demonstrate the use of pump-probe microscopy for high-resolution studies of vermilion degradation. Vermilion (mostly α-HgS), an important red pigment used in historical paintings, blackens over time, and metallic Hg and β-HgS have been implicated as possible degradation products. Conventional analysis techniques have trouble differentiating α- and β-HgS with sufficiently high spatial resolution. However, pump-probe microscopy can differentiate metallic mercury, α- and β-HgS, and map each distribution on the microscopic scale. We studied artificial degradation of α-HgS; femtosecond-pulsed laser irradiation induces an irreversible phase shift of α- to β-HgS, in which the initial presence of β-HgS grains can increase the rate of conversion in their vicinity. Continuous ultraviolet exposure instead generates both liquid Hg and β-HgS, with a conversion rate that increases with elevated temperatures. Last, we reveal the presence of β-HgS as a natural degradation product in discolored vermilion layers in a 14th century Italian painting.
- Subjects :
- Materials science
Materials Science
Analytical chemistry
02 engineering and technology
010402 general chemistry
medicine.disease_cause
01 natural sciences
law.invention
Metal
Pigment
law
Microscopy
medicine
Irradiation
Vermilion
Research Articles
Multidisciplinary
fungi
SciAdv r-articles
021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology
Laser
0104 chemical sciences
Applied Sciences and Engineering
visual_art
visual_art.visual_art_medium
Degradation (geology)
0210 nano-technology
Ultraviolet
Research Article
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 23752548
- Volume :
- 5
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Science Advances
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....35eb2960bd573357ba6e858855cdb418