• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.528-534
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• 2016

The aim of this paper is to consider the effect of the manufacturing processes on corrosion and centerline cracking of ancient bronze spoons. The ancient bronze spoons in question were made by several steps of forging, in reheated condition with cast ingots. The manufacturing method is similar to that of the modern spoons. The investigations include observations from light and scanning electron microscopes of the microstructure in terms of the crack propagation. Cracks in the centerline are caused by solute segregation in the center-line region; this solute is solidified in the final stage of bronze spoon manufacture. Centerline cracking is also caused by ${\alpha}$ phase segregation, accompanied by forged overlapping along the longitudinal direction of the spoons. A vertical stripe with cracks along the centerline of the spoon's width is formed by folding in the wrought process. The overlapping area causes crack propagation with severe corrosion on the spoon surfaces over a period of a thousand years. The failure mechanisms of ancient bronze spoons may be similar to that of modern spoons, and the estimation of the failure mechanisms of ancient spoons can be appropriate to determine failure causes for such modern spoons.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.411-420
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• 2009

A series of scientific analyses, including ICP-AES, microstructure, and TIMS, were carried out on 5 bronze spoons among 14 bronze artifacts excavated from the Ok-dong site in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. The results of analysis showed that the bronze spoons were formed from an alloy of no more than 75% Cu and 21~23% Sn, placing it in the category of brassware, with trace elements such as Pb, Fe, and Zn. In particular, plumbum Pb contents of which traces of 0.04% were found, appears to have been added as an impurity during smelting. The microstructure of the bronze spoons suggests that the casting process involved using a spoon-shaped hollow mold, followed by an ropid-cooling process after the shape was perfected at approximately $586^{\circ}C$. After comparison of data measured from thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) of galena from Korea, China, and Japan, it appears that the raw materials for the bronze spoons included galena (lead sulfide) produced from the southern part of China.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.4-11
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• 2016

This study compares eight bronze spoons in the Goryeo Dynasty and analyzes their components and lead isotopes in order to confirm the relationship between their production sites and excavation sites. Most of the excavated spoons have elliptical heads, and their handles are categorized into two types. Bronze spoons are made of binary Cu-Sn alloys, but Pb is not added. The same artifacts can have different trace elements depending on location, and the spoons had high Ag content. According to an analysis of their lead isotopic ratio, they were made with raw materials produced in Zone 3 of the South Korean galena map. If the data of the trace elements in the raw ores of the bronze is accumulated, it can be used to indicate the provenance of the artifacts.