Kim Youngju, Daugherty M Cyrus, Hussey Daniel S, LaManna Jacob M, Jacobson David L, Kim Jongyul, Wolf Caitlyn M, Kienzle Paul A, Kim Daeseung, Han Minsu, Choo Hahn, Lee Seung Wook, Kim TaeJoo
Neutron Science Division, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon, South Korea.
Physical Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899, USA.
Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 28;15(1):14848. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-99235-x.
Distinguishing differences between authentic artifacts and replicas is a significant challenge in the field of cultural heritage. In this study, we explore the application of neutron grating interferometry and tomography techniques to identify Korean copper coins in the nineteenth century of Joseon period by investigating structural differences between genuine objects and replicas. Neutron grating interferometry provides the microstructural information of coins, including features such as pores and precipitates, through a dark field image derived from small-angle neutron scattering. Additionally, neutron transmission tomography examines the three-dimensional internal structures and potentially hidden features of coins. Both neutron imaging techniques highlight regions that contain lead precipitates in the copper alloy, showing consistent agreement with optical imaging and with the quantitative lead content measured by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The distinct corrosion patterns observed in the authentic coin and replica provide empirical explanations for the general corrosion mechanism of copper alloy. This interpretation finds support in the moderate contribution of dark field contrast from cuprite, which underlies the signal of lead precipitates.
区分真品文物与复制品之间的差异是文化遗产领域的一项重大挑战。在本研究中,我们通过研究真品与复制品之间的结构差异,探索中子光栅干涉测量法和断层扫描技术在鉴定朝鲜王朝时期19世纪韩国铜币方面的应用。中子光栅干涉测量法通过小角中子散射得到的暗场图像,提供硬币的微观结构信息,包括孔隙和沉淀物等特征。此外,中子透射断层扫描可检查硬币的三维内部结构和潜在的隐藏特征。两种中子成像技术都突出了铜合金中含有铅沉淀物的区域,与光学成像以及能量色散X射线光谱法测量的铅含量定量结果显示出一致的一致性。在真品硬币和复制品中观察到的明显腐蚀模式,为铜合金的一般腐蚀机制提供了实证解释。这种解释得到了来自赤铜矿的暗场对比度适度贡献的支持,赤铜矿是铅沉淀物信号的基础。