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NON‐DESTRUCTIVE RADIOISOTOPE X‐RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS OF OLD SILVER COINS
Author(s) -
FLORKOWSKI T.,
STÓS Z.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
archaeometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-4754
pISSN - 0003-813X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-4754.1975.tb00131.x
Subject(s) - analyser , x ray fluorescence , copper , x ray , fluorescence , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , materials science , mineralogy , radiochemistry , metallurgy , optics , physics , chromatography
The paper presents the results of a feasibility study of the application of X‐ray fluorescence analysis to nondestructive analysis of coins. Radioisotope sources 55 Fe, 241 Am, 109 Cd and 238 Pu were used for excitation and a Si/Li detector with a multichannel analyser for the measurement of characteristic X‐ray lines. Silver and copper in Polish renaissance coins have been analysed. Analysis using Ag K and Ag L lines allows one to distinguish between blanched and unblanched coins. The accuracy of the silver determination using Ag K X‐rays is claimed to be ± 0.5% Ag for homogenous coins and ± 1.0% Ag for blanched but well‐preserved uncorroded coins.