This lesson explores the role of antimony in pigment analysis, focusing on its historical and modern applications. Participants will examine the spectral characteristics of antimony in key pigments such as Naples Yellow and Antimony White, highlighting how the presence of other elements influences detection.
Objectives
- Understand the historical significance and chemical composition of Naples Yellow and Antimony White.
- Analyze the X-ray spectral characteristics of antimony in different pigment formulations.
Materials
- Pure antimony metal cube.
- Samples of Naples Yellow and Antimony White pigments respectively from Pigments Checker STANDARD and MODERN ART.
Lesson Plan
- Introduction to Antimony in Pigments:
- Overview of Naples Yellow, its popularity from antiquity to 1850, and its composition as a lead antimonate.
- Introduction to Antimony White as a modern, rarely used pigment composed of antimony trioxide.
- Spectral Analysis of Antimony:
- Examine the X-ray spectrum of pure antimony metal, identifying the strong K alpha (26.3) and K beta (29.7) peaks, as well as the weaker L lines.
- Compare the spectra of Antimony White and Naples Yellow, noting the influence of lead and zinc on antimony signal strength.
