Potential of synchrotron X-ray diffraction computed tomography (XRDCT) for a 3D non-destructive and/or non-invasive characterisation of cultural heritage geomaterials (CHG)

• Published in: Journal of cultural heritage 2024-07, Vol.68, p.28-37
• Main Authors: Possenti, Elena, Catrambone, Maria, Colombo, Chiara, Cantaluppi, Marco, Merlini, Marco, Vaughan, Gavin B.M., di Michiel, Marco, Marinoni, Nicoletta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Archaeological ceramics; Geomaterials of cultural heritage; Inorganic-mineral conservation treatment; Meteorites; Stone materials of built Heritage; Synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction computed tomography (XRDCT)
• ISSN: 1296-2074
• DOI: 10.1016/j.culher.2024.04.006

•XRDCT is used to characterise unique multiphase cultural heritage geomaterials (CHG).•3D mapping of crystalline phases is carried out non-destructively or non-invasively.•Qualitative/quantitative phase analysis and 3D imaging are simultaneously performed.•Potential and limits of XRDCT for new CHG applications are critically discussed.•New analytical perspectives in the characterisation of heterogeneous CHG are proposed. The present work describes the high potential of the recently developed synchrotron X-ray diffraction computed tomography (XRDCT) for 3D mapping of crystalline and amorphous phases in Geomaterials of Cultural Heritage (CHG). The paper critically discusses the promising results and limitations of XRDCT in Cultural Heritage applications. XRDCT has been applied herein to diverse CHG materials, spanning from archaeological ceramics, and stone conservation treatments to meteorites, at a microscale. Although these materials are very complex systems from a chemical, mineralogical and microstructural point of view, this innovative technique proves effective capability to access the real spatial distribution and semi-quantification of crystallographic phases within materials in a totally non-destructive and/or non-invasive way.