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Multi-analytical study of patination methods on steel substrates: a full insight into surface chemistry and morphology

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry volume 402, pages 2277–2285 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Patination of metals has been used for decorative or protective purposes, and several methods aimed to create coloured films on metal surfaces have been developed. This work describes a multi-analytical approach to characterize artificial blue patinas created on mild steel substrates by means of traditional recipes and methods for colouring ancient objects and artefacts. We suggest the combined use of secondary ion mass spectrometry, focused ion beam, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, white light interferometry and reflectance spectroscopy to characterize blue patinas on steel substrates and to investigate the relationship between the developed colour and the patina layer microstructure and composition. Therefore, the analysis of the oxide films produced by either thermal or chemical colouring methods has been successfully performed, providing information about the film morphology, the surface composition and in-depth elemental distribution within the coloured layers, and the origin of the colour developed on the surface.

Blue patina developed on a mild steel substrate using thermal colouring methods

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Acknowledgements

This work has been funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación through the CTQ2008-02197 project. The authors would like to thank to Simon Metcalf (Royal Collection) for providing the coloured steel samples, Sophie Willis and Graham Martin (Victoria and Albert Museum) and Lynne Barlett for the fruitful discussions, and Chris Stanley (Natural History Museum) and Lindsay MacDonald (London College of Communication) for their assistance with the reflectance measurements. Finally, the authors would like to acknowledge the Spanish Society of Mass Spectrometry (SEEM) for the “SEEM 3rd Award” received at the V meeting of the SEEM (Málaga, 2011).

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

    H. Téllez, R. J. Chater & D. S. McPhail

  2. Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Málaga, 29071, Málaga, Spain

    J. M. Vadillo & J. J. Laserna

Authors
  1. H. Téllez
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  2. J. M. Vadillo
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  3. J. J. Laserna
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  4. R. J. Chater
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  5. D. S. McPhail
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. Téllez.

Additional information

Published in the special issue Mass Spectrometry in Spain with guest editors José Miguel Vadillo and Damìa Barcelo.

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Téllez, H., Vadillo, J.M., Laserna, J.J. et al. Multi-analytical study of patination methods on steel substrates: a full insight into surface chemistry and morphology. Anal Bioanal Chem 402, 2277–2285 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-011-5473-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-011-5473-6

Keywords

  • Colouring methods
  • Surface analysis
  • Iron oxides
  • Patinas
  • SIMS
  • FIB