Researchers at Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands) and the University of Antwerp (Antwerp, Belgium) used synchrotron radiation-induced X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy to reveal a portrait of a woman by Vincent van Gogh beneath the paint of his 1887 "Patch of Grass."
Researchers at Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands) and the University of Antwerp (Antwerp, Belgium) used synchrotron radiation-induced X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy to reveal a portrait of a woman by Vincent van Gogh beneath the paint of his 1887 "Patch of Grass." Van Gogh was known to paint over his work, perhaps as often as one third of the time. Behind the painting, done mostly in greens and blues, is a portrait of a woman, rendered in browns and reds. Synchrotron radiation-induced X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy measures chemicals in the pigments, and is said to be an improvement on X-ray radiography, which has been used to reveal concealed layers of other famous paintings. In this case, mercury and antimony were useful in revealing the woman?s face. Researchers said that the new technique is expected to pave the way for research into many other concealed paintings.
Getting accurate IR spectra on monolayer of molecules
April 18th 2024Creating uniform and repeatable monolayers is incredibly important for both scientific pursuits as well as the manufacturing of products in semiconductor, biotechnology, and. other industries. However, measuring monolayers and functionalized surfaces directly is. difficult, and many rely on a variety of characterization techniques that when used together can provide some degree of confidence. By combining non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM) and IR spectroscopy, IR PiFM provides sensitive and accurate analysis of sub-monolayer of molecules without the concern of tip-sample cross contamination. Dr. Sung Park, Molecular Vista, joined Spectroscopy to provide insights on how IR PiFM can acquire IR signature of monolayer films due to its unique implementation.