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Energy Dispersive X-ray Tomography for 3D Elemental Mapping of Individual Nanoparticles
Published on: July 5, 2016
Elemental analysis of silver coins by PIXE technique
B B Tripathy1, Tapash R Rautray, A C Rautray
1Department of Physics, Silicon Institute of Technology, Patia, Bhubaneswar, India.
Summary
This study analyzed Indian silver coins from the British era using proton-induced X-ray emission spectroscopy. Major elements were silver and copper, with variations possibly linked to different ore sources.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Numismatics
Background:
- Historical Indian silver coins provide insights into past metallurgical practices.
- Understanding the elemental composition of coinage is crucial for historical and economic studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the elemental composition of nine Indian silver coins from the British colonial period.
- To identify major, minor, and trace elements present in the coins.
- To explore potential reasons for variations in elemental concentrations.
Main Methods:
- Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) spectroscopy was employed for elemental analysis.
- Quantitative analysis was performed to determine the concentration of eight specific elements: Chromium (Cr), Iron (Fe), Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Arsenic (As), Silver (Ag), and Lead (Pb).
Main Results:
- Silver (Ag) and Copper (Cu) were identified as the predominant elements in the analyzed coins.
- Zinc (Zn) was found to be the sole minor element.
- Chromium (Cr), Iron (Fe), Nickel (Ni), Arsenic (As), and Lead (Pb) were present at trace levels.
Conclusions:
- The elemental composition of these historical coins varies, with Ag and Cu as major components.
- Observed variations in elemental concentrations suggest the potential use of diverse ore sources during coin minting.
- PIXE spectroscopy proved effective for detailed elemental profiling of historical coinage.
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