2 research outputs found
X-ray fluorescence applied to yellow pigments based on lead, tin and antimony: comparison of laboratory and portable instrumentation
X-ray fluorescence is a diagnostic approach particularly suited to be utilized in cultural
heritage sector since it falls in the non-destructive and non-invasive analytical tools. However
there are big differences between portable and laboratory instrumentation that make difficult
to perform a comparison in terms of quality and reliability of the results. The present study is
specifically addressed to investigate these differences in respect of the same analytical
sample-set. To reach this goal a comparison was thus carried out between portable and bench
top devices X-ray fluorescence devices and techniques were used on different type of yellow
pigments based on lead, tin and antimony obtained in laboratory, reproducing the instructions
described in “old” recipes, that is: i) mortar of lead and tin produced on the basis of the recipe
13 /c V of the “Manuscript of Danzica” and “ Li tre libri dell’arte del Vasaio” by Cipriano
Piccolpasso; ii) two types of lead and tin yellow (Pb2SnO4 and PbSnO3) produced starting
from the indications of the 272 and 273 recipes of the “Bolognese Manuscript”; iii) lead
antimonate (Pb2Sb2O7) obtained by following the instructions of the Piccolpasso’s treatise
and those contained on the “Istoria delle pitture in maiolica fatte in Pesaro e ne’ luoghi
circonvicini di Giambattista Passeri” and finally iv) lead, tin and antimony yellow
(Pb2SnSbO6,5) obtained starting from the information contained in the paper 30 R of
“Manuscript of Danzica” [1].
The XRF analysis were performed using a laboratory instrumentation (Bruker M4 Tornado)
and a handset analytical device (Assing Surface Monitor). In order to perform a significant
statistical comparison among acquired and processed data, all the analyses have been carried
out utilizing the same sample, the same acquisition set up and operative conditions.
A chemometric approach, based on the utilization of Principal Component Analysis (PCA)
and multivariate analytical based tools [2], was utilized in order to verify the spectral
differences, and related informative content, among the different produced yellow pigments.
The multivariate approach on the results revealed instrumental differences between the two
systems and allowed to compare the common characteristics of the set of pigments analyzed