Records |
Author |
Radepont, M.; Coquinot, Y.; Janssens, K.; Ezrati, J.-J.; de Nolf, W.; Cotte, M. |
Title |
Thermodynamic and experimental study of the degradation of the red pigment mercury sulfide |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year |
2015 |
Publication |
Journal of analytical atomic spectrometry |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Anal Atom Spectrom |
Volume |
30 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
599-612 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation) |
Abstract |
The red pigment mercury sulfide, called cinnabar or vermilion, is well known to suffer from an alteration giving rise to a grey, grey-white or black color at the surface of degraded works of art. This phenomenon can dramatically affect the esthetical value of artworks. This work aims at assessing the factors (light, halides) influencing the instability of red mercury sulfide and understanding (by combining thermodynamic and experimental approaches) the chemical equilibria governing the formation and evolution of the different degradation compounds. From the thermodynamic study of the Hg-S-Cl-H2O system, it was concluded that Hg(0), Hg3S2Cl2, and Hg2Cl2 can be formed from the reaction of alpha-HgS with ClO(g). In the second part, the artificial ageing experiments presented were carried out on model samples following the conditions assessed in the first part, in order to reproduce natural ageing observed on red mercury sulfide. Similarly to degradation compounds detected on original works of art, mercury chlorine compounds such as calomel (Hg2Cl2) and corderoite (alpha-Hg3S2Cl2) were identified on the surface of alpha-HgS model samples, when exposed to light and a sodium hypochlorite solution. Sulfates were detected as well, and more particularly gypsum (CaSO4 center dot 2H(2)O) when Ca was originally present in the model sample. The relationship between color and composition is discussed as well. |
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Corporate Author |
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Thesis ![sorted by Thesis field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
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Publisher |
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Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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Language |
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Wos |
000350650800005 |
Publication Date |
2015-01-02 |
Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
0267-9477 |
ISBN |
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Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
Impact Factor |
3.379 |
Times cited |
26 |
Open Access |
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Notes |
; The authors gratefully acknowledge the ESRF for granting beamtime under proposal no. EC720. Michel Dubus is thanked for providing precious advices concerning ageing protocols. This research was supported by Belgian Science Policy project S2-ART (BELSPO S4DA), the GOA “SOLARPAINT” (Research Fund University of Antwerp, Belgium) and FWO (Brussels, Belgium) projects no. G.0C12.13, G.0704.08 and G.01769.09. ; |
Approved |
Most recent IF: 3.379; 2015 IF: 3.466 |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:125474 |
Serial |
5877 |
Permanent link to this record |
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Author |
Radepont, M.; de Nolf, W.; Janssens, K.; van der Snickt, G.; Coquinot, Y.; Klaassen, L.; Cotte, M. |
Title |
The use of microscopic X-ray diffraction for the study of HgS and its degradation products corderoite (\alpha-Hg3S2Cl2), kenhsuite (\gamma-Hg3S2Cl2) and calomel (Hg2Cl2) in historical paintings |
Type |
A1 Journal article |
Year |
2011 |
Publication |
Journal of analytical atomic spectrometry |
Abbreviated Journal |
J Anal Atom Spectrom |
Volume |
26 |
Issue |
5 |
Pages |
959-968 |
Keywords |
A1 Journal article; AXES (Antwerp X-ray Analysis, Electrochemistry and Speciation) |
Abstract |
Since antiquity, the red pigment mercury sulfide (α-HgS), called cinnabar in its natural form or vermilion red when synthetic, was very often used in frescoes and paintings, even if it was known to suffer occasionally from degradation. The paint hereby acquires a black or silver-grey aspect. The chemical characterization of these alteration products is rather challenging mainly because of the micrometric size and heterogeneity of the surface layers that develop and that are responsible for the color change. Methods such as electron microscopy, synchrotron-based microscopic X-ray fluorescence, microscopic X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy, Raman microscopy and secondary ion microscopy have been previously employed to identify the (Hg- and S-) compounds present and to study their co-localization. Next to these, also microscopic X-ray diffraction (XRD) (either by making use of laboratory X-ray sources or when used at a synchrotron facility) allows the identification of the crystal phases that are present in degraded HgS paint layers. In this paper we employ these various forms of micro-XRD to analyze degraded red paint in different paintings and compare the results with other X-ray based methods. Whereas the elemental analyses of the degradation products revealed, next to mercury and sulfur, the presence of chlorine, X-ray diffraction allowed the identification, next to α-HgS, of the Hg and S-containing compound calomel (Hg2Cl2) but also of the Hg, S and Cl-containing minerals corderoite (α-Hg3S2Cl2) and kenhsuite (γ-Hg3S2Cl2). These observations are consistent with X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements performed at the S- and Cl-edges. |
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Corporate Author |
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Thesis ![sorted by Thesis field, ascending order (up)](img/sort_asc.gif) |
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Publisher |
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Place of Publication |
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Editor |
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Language |
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Wos |
000289731900011 |
Publication Date |
2011-03-03 |
Series Editor |
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Series Title |
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Abbreviated Series Title |
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Series Volume |
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Series Issue |
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Edition |
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ISSN |
0267-9477 |
ISBN |
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Additional Links |
UA library record; WoS full record; WoS citing articles |
Impact Factor |
3.379 |
Times cited |
40 |
Open Access |
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Notes |
; The authors gratefully acknowledge GOA programme “XANES meets EELS'' (University of Antwerp Research Council), the IUAP VI/P16 programme ”Nacho'' (BELSPO, Brussels, Belgium) and FWO (Brussels, Belgium) projects no. G.0689.06, G.0704.08 and G017909N for financial support, the ESRF for granting beamtime under proposals no. EC442 and EC720, and Gema Martinez-Criado for practical help on ID18F. The KMSKA staff is also gratefully acknowledged for their help and interest. Javier Chillida is thanked for providing us with the Pedralbes samples. The authors are also indebted to the CHARISMA project (grant agreement 228330) for financial support. ; |
Approved |
Most recent IF: 3.379; 2011 IF: 3.220 |
Call Number |
UA @ admin @ c:irua:89927 |
Serial |
5896 |
Permanent link to this record |