Chemistry
Observing Possible Cobalt Oxidation State Change in 15th Century Paintings
Document Type
Poster Presentation
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Subject Area
Chemistry
Start Date
11-4-2014 8:30 AM
End Date
11-4-2014 9:30 AM
Sponsor
Stacy O'Reilly (Butler University)
Description
Smalt is a cobalt-based paint pigment used in the 15th and 16th centuries in many paintings. The pigment, initially a royal blue, has degraded to a pink or gray color in some works of art. Previous studies of smalt degradation have explored the pigment using microscopy and have determined that the color changes are linked to changes in the coordination environment of the cobalt. In this study we have used the magnetic susceptibility of smalt samples to determine the coordination state of cobalt of original and degraded smalt.
Observing Possible Cobalt Oxidation State Change in 15th Century Paintings
Indianapolis, IN
Smalt is a cobalt-based paint pigment used in the 15th and 16th centuries in many paintings. The pigment, initially a royal blue, has degraded to a pink or gray color in some works of art. Previous studies of smalt degradation have explored the pigment using microscopy and have determined that the color changes are linked to changes in the coordination environment of the cobalt. In this study we have used the magnetic susceptibility of smalt samples to determine the coordination state of cobalt of original and degraded smalt.