Work

Asbestos-Based Pottery from Corsica: The First Fiber-Reinforced Ceramic Matrix Composite

Year: 2020

Type: article

Abstract: Asbestos-containing pottery shards collected in the northeast of Corsica (Cap Corse) and dating from the 19th century, or earlier, have been analyzed by SEM-EDS, XRPD, FTIR and Raman microspectroscopy. Blue (crocidolite) and white (chrysotile) asbestos fiber bundles are observed in cross-sections. Most of the asbestos is partly or totally dehydroxylated, and some transformation to forsterite is observed to occur, indicative of a firing above 800 °C. Examination of freshly fractured pieces shows a nonbrittle fracture with fiber pull-out, consistent with a composite material behavior, which makes these ceramics the oldest fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composite. Residues indicate the use of this pottery as a crucible for gold extraction using cyanide.

Source: Materials

DOI: 10.3390/ma13163597

Authors: Philippe Colomban, Aleksandar Kremenović

Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Sorbonne Université, Molécule aux Nanos-objets : Réactivité, Interactions et Spectroscopies, University of Belgrade

Language: English

Topic: Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis

Subfield: Archeology

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,112