Frescoes are one of the most robust and longest lasting forms of mural painting in history. Their durability is due to a reaction that occurs between the calcium oxide, found in the surface to which the pigments are applied, and carbon dioxide in the air, to produce calcium carbonate, which in turn will fully encase the earth based pigments used to color the fresco. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) can be used to reveal information pertaining to the unit cells of crystalline materials, which includes the earth based pigments and CaCO<sub>3</sub>, present in fresco paintings. As such, powder XRD patterns were used to determine the effects that encapsulation has on the unit cell of the pigments and CaCO<sub>3</sub>.

Analysis of fresco pigments and substrates by powder x-ray diffraction

251st National Meeting (2016)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.