Titanium plays a significant role in the examination of modern and contemporary art due to its association with titanium white, the dominant white pigment used after the 1930s. This lesson focuses on analyzing titanium in pigments through XRF spectroscopy to understand its spectral features.
Objectives
Participants will:
- Understand the significance of titanium in modern and contemporary art pigments.
- Identify the spectral characteristics of titanium, including K alpha and K beta peaks.
- Explore the differences between titanium forms, rutile and anatase, and their applications in art.
- Analyze other titanium-containing pigments using Pigments Checker.
Materials
- Pure titanium cube sample
- Pigments Checker (standard and modern art versions)
- X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer with low-keV setup (aluminum filter 0.25 mm)
Lesson Plan
- Introduction to Titanium in Art
- Discuss the historical and modern significance of titanium white as the primary white pigment used since the 1930s.
- Briefly review the use of titanium in other pigments, such as cobalt titanite green and nickel titanium yellow.
- Spectral Analysis of Titanium
- Introduce the K alpha (4.5 keV) and K beta (4.9 keV) peaks of titanium.
- Demonstrate the acquisition of titanium spectra using a pure titanium cube with the low-keV XRF setup and aluminum filter.
- Exploring Titanium Forms in Pigments
- Compare the anatase and rutile forms of titanium white, emphasizing their historical use and spectral characteristics.
- Analyze titanium white (rutile) using the standard Pigments Checker, discussing its prevalence in modern art.
- Examine titanium white (anatase) with the modern art Pigments Checker, noting its earlier use before the 1950s.
- Analyzing Titanium-Containing Pigments
- Investigate pigments like cobalt titanite green and nickel titanium yellow, highlighting the titanium content in their spectra.
