Glass in Cultural Heritage – An Introduction

Proceedings of the Chemistry and Conservation ScienceA brief description of different types of silicate glasses is made and the origin of colour in glasses is discussed. The principles of corrosion in glass, illustrated with a few examples, will be explained. Applications of several techniques in the chemical characterization of glasses will be shown, namely X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (XRF), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Optical Absorption Spectroscopy and Laser Ablation Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry (LA-FTICR/MS), and Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE)