Investigation of the altered layer on ancient Chinese bronze mirrors and model high-tin bronzes

Conference · Tue Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:459902

Taube, M ^[1]; King, A H ^[2]; Chase, III, T C ^[3]

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1. State Univ. of New York, Stony Brook, NY (United States). Dept. of Material Science and Engineering
2. State Univ. of New York, Stony Brook, NY (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering
3. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC (United States)

Many ancient Chinese bronze mirrors have a smooth patina. An ingress of corrosion to a depth of approximately 100 {mu}m is found beneath the patina. The corrosion selectively replaces the Cu-rich {alpha} phase leaving the Sn-rich {delta} phase intact. Previous work by x-ray diffraction has shown that the {alpha}-phase replacement product is poorly crystallized or nanocrystalline SnO{sub 2}. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to further characterize the replacement product in both ancient mirror and replication samples. Nanocrystalline SnO{sub 2} in the form of small spheroids has been found. Remnants of an original alloy phase appear to be interspersed with the tin oxide.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 459902
• Report Number(s): BNL-64018; CONF-961202-99; ON: DE97004075; TRN: 97:002403
• Resource Relation: Conference: 1996 Fall meeting of the Materials Research Society (MRS), Boston, MA (United States), 2-6 Dec 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
66 PHYSICS
BRONZE
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
CORROSION
MIRRORS
SPHEROIDS
TIN OXIDES
COPPER
PHASE STUDIES