Publications
Further results from PIXE analysis of inks in Galileo's notes on motion The differential-PIXE technique is presented in this work as an
efficient and non-destructive tool for the characterization of the structure of ancient
metal threads. A PIXE analysis for different proton energies has been performed in a selection
of gold and silver threads belonging to the Collection of Textiles of La Alhambra (19th century)
and to the Medieval Collection of Textiles of the National Archaeological Museum of Spain.
The threads are made of metal strips, wound around a silk or cotton core. The use of
differential PIXE allows to distinguish strips made of homogeneous alloys from those
made of a silver and copper alloy, coated with a thin gold layer. In the same analysis
it is also possible to detect the presence or absence of some trace elements of archaeological
interest, such as Pb or Hg.
O. Enguitaa, A. Climent-Fonta,b, G. Garcíaa,
I. Monteroc, M.E. Fedid, M. Chiarid, F. Lucarellid
aCentro de Microanálisis de Materiales, Instituto Nicolás Cabrera,
Fac. Ciencias C-XVI, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, España
bDpto. Física Aplicada, Fac. Ciencias C-XII, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid,
Madrid, España
cDpto. Prehistoria, Instituto de Historia , CSIC Serrano 13, Madrid, España.
dDipartimento di Fisica dell'Università e I.N.F.N. di Firenze, Italy
Abstract