Investigation of the foil structure and corrosion mechanisms of modern Zwischgold using advanced analysis techniques

Wu, Qing; Soppa, Karolina; Scherrer, Nadim; Watts, Benjamin; Yokosawa, Tadahiro; Bernard, Laetitia; Araki, Tohru; Döbeli, Max; Meyer, Markus; Spiecker, Erdmann; Fink, Rainer H. (2018). Investigation of the foil structure and corrosion mechanisms of modern Zwischgold using advanced analysis techniques Journal of Cultural Heritage, 31, pp. 122-132. Elsevier 10.1016/j.culher.2017.12.005

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Zwischgold is a two-sided metal foil made by adhering a gold leaf over a silver leaf to present a gold surface while using less gold than gold foils. Corroded Zwischgold surfaces appear dark, accompanied by gloss loss and possible mechanical stability issues. Zwischgold applied artefacts are commonly found in museums and churches across Europe and they currently face an uncertain future as conservators have little knowledge to base conservation treatments on. We present a comprehensive material analysis of Zwischgold models through advanced characterization techniques including focused ion beam coupled with scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). Complementary information on the foil thickness, sharpness of the gold-silver interface, gold purity, and the formation as well as distribution of corrosion products on Zwischgold models have been obtained, representing a starting point for understanding the morphology and the long-term chemistry of Zwischgold artefacts. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	Bern Academy of the Arts Bern Academy of the Arts > Institute Materiality in Art and Culture Bern Academy of the Arts > HKB Teaching Bern Academy of the Arts > Institute Materiality in Art and Culture > Material analyses
Name:	Wu, Qing; Soppa, Karolina0000-0002-5838-5391; Scherrer, Nadim0000-0002-6576-885X; Watts, Benjamin; Yokosawa, Tadahiro; Bernard, Laetitia; Araki, Tohru; Döbeli, Max; Meyer, Markus; Spiecker, Erdmann and Fink, Rainer H.
Subjects:	N Fine Arts > NB Sculpture
ISSN:	1296-2074
Publisher:	Elsevier
Language:	English
Submitter:	Nadim Scherrer
Date Deposited:	18 Dec 2019 09:08
Last Modified:	14 Dec 2022 21:45
Publisher DOI:	10.1016/j.culher.2017.12.005
Related URLs:	Publisher
Web of Science ID:	000430417500013
Additional Information:	Notes: ISI Document Delivery No.: GD3QB Times Cited: 0 Cited Reference Count: 48 Wu, Qing Soppa, Karolina Scherrer, Nadim Watts, Benjamin Yokosawa, Tadahiro Bernard, Laetitia Araki, Tohru Dobeli, Max Meyer, Markus Spiecker, Erdmann Fink, Rainer H. Research Area "Materiality of Art and Culture" of the Bern University of the Applied Science - Bern University of the Arts (Switzerland); Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland); Bernische Denkmalpflege - Stiftung (Switzerland); BMBF [05K16WED]; [GRK 1846] This work was supported by the Research Area "Materiality of Art and Culture" of the Bern University of the Applied Science - Bern University of the Arts (Switzerland), Paul Scherrer Institute (Switzerland) and Bernische Denkmalpflege - Stiftung (Switzerland). MM and RHF acknowledge financial support through GRK 1846 and BMBF, contract 05K16WED. Elsevier france-editions scientifiques medicales elsevier Issy-les-moulineaux Custom 1: Article Date: 2018
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Zwischgold Interdiffusion Gold Silver Corrosion Conservation silver surface gold
ARBOR DOI:	10.24451/arbor.8090
URI:	https://arbor.bfh.ch/id/eprint/8090