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Spectroscopies and Electron Microscopies Unravel the Origin of the First Colour Photographs
Author(s) -
Seauve Victor,
Languille MarieAngélique,
Kociak Mathieu,
Belin Stéphanie,
Ablett James,
Andraud Christine,
Stéphan Odile,
Rueff JeanPascal,
Fonda Emiliano,
Lavédrine Bertrand
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.202001241
Subject(s) - plasmon , spectroscopy , nanoparticle , pigment , materials science , morphology (biology) , chemistry , optics , nanotechnology , physics , geology , optoelectronics , paleontology , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
The first colour photographs were created by a process introduced by Edmond Becquerel in 1848. The nature of these photochromatic images colours motivated a debate between scientists during the XIX th century, which is still not settled. We present the results of chemical analysis (EDX, HAXPES and EXAFS) and morphology studies (SEM, STEM) aiming at explaining the optical properties of the photochromatic images (UV‐visible spectroscopy and low loss EELS). We rule out the two hypotheses (pigment and interferences) that have prevailed since 1848, respectively based on variations in the oxidation degree of the compound forming the sensitized layer and periodically spaced photolytic silver planes. A study of the silver nanoparticles dispersions contained in the coloured layers showed specific localizations and sizes distributions of the nanoparticles for each colour. These results allow us to formulate a plasmonic hypothesis on the origin of the photochromatic images colours.