Abstract
The daguerreotype image, composed of nanosized silver–mercury or silver–mercury–gold amalgam particles formed on a polished silver substrate, is particularly sensitive to deterioration by chlorine-containing compounds resulting in the formation of AgCl that generates redeposited silver upon exposure to UV and visible lights. In the present study, alterations caused by chlorides on daguerreotype test samples prepared following 19th century recipes were studied. The dependence of variations in the production steps of daguerreotypes, such as multiple sensitization and gilding, on the impact of the exposure to chlorine were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), complemented by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Raman spectroscopy. It was observed that AgCl nucleates on the image particles and in the substrate defects, regardless of the particle density or the sensitization process. In gilded samples, Au was observed over the image particles and the polished silver substrate as a tightly packed grainy layer, which conformably follows the polishing irregularities. For the first time it is shown that Au preferentially accumulates on top of the image particles. This gold layer does not protect the image from chlorine-induced deterioration.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
B. Newhall, The History of Photography: From 1839 to the Present (The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1982)
L.-J.-M. Daguerre, Historical and Descriptive Account of the Various Processes of the Daguerreotype and the Diorama (Mc. Lean, London, 1839)
M.S. Barger, W.B. White, The Daguerreotype. Nineteenth-Century Technology and Modern Science (Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1991)
G.B. Romer, B. Wallis, Young America. The Daguerreotypes of Southworth & Hawes (International Center of Photography/George Eastman House/Steidl Publishers, Rochester, Göttingen, 2005)
A. Swan, C.E. Fiori, K.F.J. Heinrich, Daguerreotypes: a study of the plates and the process. Scanning Electron Microsc. 1, 411–424 (1979)
P. Ravines, A. West, J. Minter, R.O. Gutierrez Jr., The daguerreotype under high magnification: an ultra-high resolution SEM study of a 19th century daguerreotype’s surface nanostructure, in LASMAC 2009, Cancun, Mexico (2009)
M.S. Barger, R. Messier, W.B. White, Gilding and sealing daguerreotypes. Photogr. Sci. Eng. 27(4), 141–146 (1983)
E. Da Silva et al., Monitoring the photographic process, degradation and restoration of 21st century daguerreotypes by wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. J. Anal. At. Spectrom. 25(5), 654–661 (2010)
S.A. Centeno, T. Meller, N. Kennedy, M.T. Wypyski, The daguerreotype surface as a SERS substrate: characterization of image deterioration in plates from the 19th century studio of Southworth & Hawes. J. Raman Spectrosc. 39(7), 914–921 (2008)
T.E. Graedel, Corrosion mechanisms for silver exposed to the atmosphere. J. Electrochem. Soc. 139(7), 1963–1970 (1992)
A. Swan, The preservation of daguerreotypes, in Annual Meeting of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, Philadelphia, 1981)
C.V. Ravenswaay, An improved method for the restoration of daguerreotypes. Image 5(7), 156–159 (1956)
M.S. Barger, S.V. Krishnaswamy, R. Messier, The cleaning of daguerreotypes: comparison of cleaning methods. J. Am. Inst. Conserv. 22(1), 13–24 (1982)
I. Turovets, M. Maggen, A. Lewis, Cleaning of daguerreotypes with an excimer laser. Stud. Conserv. 43(2), 89–100 (1998)
V.V. Golovlev, M.J. Gresalfi, J.C. Miller, D. Anglos, K. Melesanaki, V. Zafiropulos, G. Romer, P. Messier, Laser characterization and cleaning of 19th century daguerreotypes II. J. Cult. Heritage 4(Supplement 1), 134–139 (2003)
S.D. Humphrey, American Hand Book of the Daguerreotype: Giving the Most Approved and Convenient Methods for Preparing the Chemicals and the Combinations Used in the Art. Containing the Daguerreotype, Electrotype, and Various Other Processes Employed in Taking Helographic Impressions, 5th edn. (S.D. Humphrey, New York, 1858)
F. Schulte, S.A. Centeno, A. Schrott, N.W. Kennedy, Characterization of chlorine induced alterations in daguerreotypes by SEM, XRF, and Raman spectroscopy, in 10th International Conference on Non-destructive Investigations and Microanalysis for the Diagnostics and Conservation of Cultural and Environmental Heritage (Art’ 11), Florence (2011)
E.J. Liang, C. Engert, W. Kiefer, Surfance-enhanced Raman-scattering of halide-ions, pyridine and crystal violet on colloidal silver with near-infrared excitation-low-wave-number vibrational-modes. Vib. Spectrosc. 8(3), 435–444 (1995)
J.T. Zhang, X.L. Li, X.M. Sun, Y.D. Li, Surface enhanced Raman scattering effects of silver colloids with different shapes. J. Phys. Chem. B 109(25), 12544–12548 (2005)
H. Sone et al., Nano-dots formation on silver sulphide surface using electron beam irradiation. Microelectron. Eng. 83(4–9), 1487–1490 (2006)
Y.Y. Li, Y. Ding, Porous AgCl/Ag nanocomposites with enhanced visible light photocatalytic properties. J. Phys. Chem. C 114(7), 3175–3179 (2010)
F. Moser, N.R. Nail, F. Urbach, Optical absortption studies of the volume photolysis of large silver chloride crystals. J. Phys. Chem. Solids 9(3–4), 217–234 (1959)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Centeno, S.A., Schulte, F., Kennedy, N.W. et al. The formation of chlorine-induced alterations in daguerreotype image particles: a high resolution SEM-EDS study. Appl. Phys. A 105, 55–63 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-011-6570-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-011-6570-2