Analysis of selective laser cleaning of patina on bronze coins

Abstract

The patina, is the result of a large number of chemical, electrochemical and physical processes which occur spontaneously during interaction of metal surfaces with the environment. In this work we want to analyze and remove the patina in artefacts, exposed to atmosphere for various decades. Here, experimental results about the laser cleaning of bronze coins by KrF (248 nm) and Nd:YAG (532 nm) lasers are reported. Both laser wavelengths were efficient to reduce the chlorine concentration on the surface of the coins more than 80 %, as demonstrated by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence analyses. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.