[Study on the corrosion of Yuan Dynasty bronze mirror by Raman spectrum].
Over the past 17 years, Raman microscopy has proven to be a valuable tool for the non-destructive evaluation of pigments in artwork and artifacts. Here Raman microscopy and electro probe technique were used to identify the corrosion products and their locations on and within of ancient Yuan Dynasty bronze mirror from Lufeng of Yunnan province. The most corrosive compounds are CuCO3.Cu(OH)2 and Cu2O. There is a thin layer of Fe-Al alloy on bronze mirror, which can protect the mirror from corrosion. The Raman microscopy is shown to be a useful tool to complement more traditional characterizations such as scanning electron microscopy and x-ray energy-dispersive spectrometry in the analysis of metal artifacts.