COST Action G8 : Non-destructive Analysis and Testing of Museum Objects

COST Action G8 (2000-2004) aims at creating a Europe- wide network that would enable co-operation and interaction between two groups of professionals: people directly concerned with the maintenance of our cultural heritage – conservators, curators, art historians, archaeologists – and analytical scientists, including chemists, physicists, geologists, metallurgists, mineralogists and microbiologists. The main objective of the action is to improve preservation and conservation of our cultural heritage by increasing knowledge of museum objects through non-destructive analysis and testing. The scientific activities of COST G8 include organising short-term scientific missions to train scientists of both groups in the other's field as well as to transfer practical experience among the European countries. Regular meetings in the form of workshops are organised in order to exchange the obtained knowledge in a broader group, and six working groups are active, which allows close collaboration in a specific field

Applications of SIMS to cultural heritage studies

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In-situ spectroelectrochemical studies of the removal of chlorides from copper

This paper describes corrosion potential measurements of corroded copper samples taken whilst acquiring timeresolved X-ray diffraction or X-ray absorption data in a synchrotron beam line. The surface structure of the samples and its evolution, whilst under simulated conservation treatment in sodium sesquicarbonate, were examined using X-ray diffraction. The fluid chemistry over the sample was monitored during identical experiments using X-ray absorption. All measurements were carried out with the sample immersed (i.e. without the need to expose the sample to air). Processes were followed from initial wetting of the surfaces through to the cessation of measurable change. A webcam was used to make a simultaneous visual record of the sample and its environment. The experiments aim at contributing to the improvement of conservation methods for cupreous artefacts recovered from marine environments