• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.4-17
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• 2017

In this research, the chemical composition of the iron artifacts from the late 6th-century to early 7thcentury Baekje remains in Gwanbuk-ri, Buyeo, specifically of the nine iron artifacts including slags, furnace walls and ingot iron excavated in the District "Na", were examined by observing their chemical compounds and microstructures. As a result, GB1 and GB6 were determined to be proto-reduction lumps whereas GB2, GB3, GB4 and GB5 were determined to be tempered slags, respectively. Also, he furnace wall GB7 were containing mullite and cristobalite, which are high temperature index minerals, The extrusion temperature was found out to be about $1200{\sim}1300^{\circ}C$, and it is most likely that the smelting temperature in the furnace was in that temperature range. GB8 ingot iron was determined to be a forged ironware. This ingot iron was an intermediary product for making ironware and its nonmetallic inclusions displayed similar microstructure and contents compared to the forged iron. Because of the existence of proto-reduction lumps and forged iron, the iron making facility located in District "Na" most likely had a small-scale iron making facility that handled iron bloom smelting and refining processes.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.289-300
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• 2022

In the 6^th and 7^th centuries, 5 iron artifacts excavated form the Baekje Stone Tomb in Guryong-ri site, Ungcheon, Boryeong, were studied. The sample were metal microscopic observation, SEM-EDS analysis and Raman micro-spectroscopy analysis were conducted to understand the metallurgical characteristics. The microstructure observation showed the presence of ferrite and pearlite throughout, and differences in carbon content existed depending on the direction. Non-metallic inclusions were in the form of long lines, and most of them were wüstite, fayalite. It is indicated that the artifacts were forge welded using hypoeutectoid steel, with signs of carburizing and decarburizing processes. Some crystals with high P₂O₅, TiO₂, CaO content were identified as sarcopside, ulvöspinel, and perovskite, respectively, through Raman spectroscopy. A comparison of the results with previous studies on the sites of Bujang-ri site in Seosan and Bongseon-ri site in Seocheon, which are adjacent sites in the coastal area, revealed that, while heat treatment technology was available, the artifacts were not heat-treated considering the purpose for use for these artifacts. The chemical composition of the non-metallic inclusions P₂O₅, TiO₂, CaO were plotted in proportions to SiO₂ and compared with adjacent sites. Considering that the P₂O₅/SiO₂ ratio was widely distributed, the refining technology was not uniform. In addition, the TiO₂/SiO₂ ratio was found to be higher than that of other sites, meaning that a titanium-containing ore was used to manufacture the artifacts, unlike in surrounding sites, but it is not detected in all artifacts, so it may have been affected by various factors such as furnace walls in addition to raw materials. Although slag formers were used, considering the CaO/SiO₂ ratio and the (Al₂O₃/SiO₂)/(CaO/SiO₂) ratio, which appear to be similar to the surrounding sites, but it is possible that CaO containing raw ore was used because it is also affected by the components of raw ore. As a result of the study, it is highly likely that ore different from that of the surrounding sites was used for production, but a more comprehensive comparative study with the surrounding sites is needed in the future.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.60-67
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• 2018

The compounds associated with corrosion, in metallic archaeological samples of carbon steel of insular origin were evaluated to establish their degree of deterioration and structural damage against air pollution. The iron phases present in samples of archaeological artifacts were detected by Raman spectroscopy and confocal Raman microcopy. These samples mainly exhibited ing mainly ${\beta}$-FeO(OH) type goethite oxyhydroxides and small amounts of akaganeite ${\alpha}$-FeO(OH) lepidocrocite ${\gamma}$-FeO(OH) due to dominant chloride in a marine environment and non-stoichiometric oxyhydroxides Fe (II + / III +) as indicators of early corrosion. Some parts showed the presence of magnetic maghemite indicating high corrosion. ${\gamma}$-FeO(OH) is a precursor of phases associated with advanced marine corrosion. By studying its decomposition by Raman spectroscopy, it was synthesized with the following sequence: ${\gamma}-FeO(OH){\rightarrow}{\alpha}-FeO(OH)+{\gamma}-FeO(OH)$, ${\rightarrow}{\gamma}-Fe_2O_3+Fe_3O_4$. Ferric compounds provided evidence for the effect of intensity of laser on them, constituting a very useful input for the characterization of oxidation of iron in this type of artifacts. Thus, destructive analysis techniques should be avoided in addition to the use of small amounts of specimen.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.381-390
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• 2017

Desalination is the main focus of the stabilization of iron artifacts. However, drawbacks such as re-corrosion are noted due to the uncertainty in the elimination of the corrosive factors and artifacts. Several studies have been carried out on the effects of corrosion inhibitors to overcome these shortcomings. In this study, the effects of type 3 water treatment on corrosion inhibitors were investigated. Surfaces of samples that contained film corrosion inhibitors on their surfaces were analyzed. The results revealed that the surface rust was removed from the sample of type 1 No. 2 that was mainly composed of phosphate. The average weight reduction rates of re-corrosion samples were 0.58, 0.03, and 0.07% for type 1 No. 2, type 2 No. 2, and type 3 No. 2 respectively. The changes in the $Cl^-$ ion, a corrosive agent were found to be 28.60, -4.08, and -1.94 ppm for type 1 No. 2, type 2 No. 2, and type 3 No. 2 respectively. The water-treated films were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that type 2 No. 2 had less Fe the basis metal, than that in type 3 No. 2 indicating much better film. Moreover, Si content was higher in type 2 No. 2, based on the silicate content, than in type 3 No. 2. They are speculated to be the reason or the formation of a better film. Type 1 No. 2, which is mainly composed of phosphate, would be inappropriate as a metal artifact conservation treatment. It was determined that type 2 No. 2 and type 3 No. 2 water treatments, which are mainly composed of silicate, provided excellent corrosion inhibiting effects. Corrosion inhibitors could be used as emergency treatment agents during the excavation of iron artifacts.

• Conservation Science in Museum
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• v.13
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• pp.23-31
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• 2012

The object artifacts of this study are the iron artifacts owned by the Kyunghee University Central Museum. The surfaces of the iron artifacts are opaque due to the coated materials which are presumed to be paraffin or bee's wax while they are plate-shaped and exist in thickly exfoliated condition caused by severe corrosion developed on the overall surfaces. Therefore, in order to remove the coated materials away from the surfaces of the artifacts rather safely, reversibility tests have been carried out and the conservation treatment was performed upon the basis of and in application of the experimental results. The study methodologies are that: first, the FT-IR analysis was carried out to determine the ingredients of the coating-treated material on the surface; second, by applying various kinds of organic solvents, the kinds of agents that allow the artifact's surface-coating material to be reversible have been identified through experiments; third, the most suitable agent for removing coating material was selected and applied to the real artifacts on the basis of the results of the reversibility tests. Results from the study: first, as a result of the FT-IR analysis, the coating agent used on the artifacts was identified to be of the same ingredients as those of paraffin; second, among organic solvents, xylene, toluene, trichloroethylene and methyl alcohol were identified to be usable for dissolving paraffin whereas toluene was judged to be the most suitable for removing the coating agent; third, when applying the selected agents on the real artifacts, due to the fact that removing the whole paraffin might cause the artifact to disintegrate, the paraffin of only the part that covered the surfaces opaquely was removed using cotton swab or gauze, thus completing the conservation treatment.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.33
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• pp.68-92
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• 2000

This paper reconsiders the users of iron arrowheads from Mongchon Earthen Wall(夢村土城). Because the Mongchon Earthen Wall has been seen as a major dwelling fort of the Hansong Period(漢城時代 : 18 B.C.~475), Paekche(百濟), these iron arrowheads have been considered as artifacts of the Hansong Paekche with no systematic analysis since they were found in 1985. However, uncovering numerous Koguryo artifacts, the excavations in 1988 and 1989 showed that Koguryo(高句麗) army had occupied the Mongchon Earthen Wall after they had conquered Hansong Paekche. In this paper, focusing on the formal similarity between these arrowheads and those from other Koguryo sites, I attempt to reconsider the nature of arrowheads from the Mongchon Earthen Wall. Found from a small pit, all of these arrowheads (88 in number) seem to have been contemporaneous. While all are stemmed, they can be divided into nine types on the basis of the shape of body and point. Most types are equal or similar to Koguryo arrowheads of other regions, and especially type F and G have not been found in southern Korean Peninsula. Accordingly, it is suggested that the existing models be reconsidered, and that Koguryo army who had conquered Hansong Paekche used these arrowheads around mid-5th century AD. Although at this point it is difficult to determine the users of these arrowheads only by analyzing several formal attributes due to Korean archaeology's little understanding of the arrowheads of the Three Kingdoms Period(三國時代), I expect that application of natural scientific methods will contribute to a better understanding.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.61-73
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• 2017

In order to identify the application techniques of wooden lacquerware artifacts, optical/polarized light microscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) were conducted on the lacquer films of 61 wooden lacquerware artifacts excavated from the Imdang-dong site, Gyeongsan, Korea. Powdered soil, soot, and charcoal were used as a filler for the undercoat, and iron oxide ($Fe_2O_3$) was used as a red pigment. Five different applying techniques were identified for the undercoat according to the composition of the lacquer. Eight different application techniques were identified for the final coat (on the middle layer and surface layer). Totally seventeen application techniques were identified based on the combination methods of the undercoat and finalcoat. Consequently, the undercoating techniques of Imdang-dong lacquerwares were found to be similar to those of lacquerwares from excavated in other provinces. However, the use of iron oxide as a red pigment at Gyeongsang province is very characteristic compared with others.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.397-406
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• 2010

The most ideal method to measure the water-soluble $Cl^-$ ion eluted from iron artifacts is conducting the analysis on desalting solution by Ion Chromatography. But most institutes related to cultural heritages use Cl meter by reason of lack of budget and experts. This study evaluated reliability and stability between Cl meter and Ion Chromatography by doing cross-validation with results from two methods to detect $Cl^-$ ion of desalting solution. From D.I water, extremely small quantities of $Cl^-$ ion was detected by the influence of remaining water-soluble $Cl^-$ ion at the electrode of Cl meter and water-soluble $Cl^-$ which remains in Sodium sesquicarbonate, components of reagent was detected as well. The first desalting solution had the most $Cl^-$ ions, $Cl^-$ ion slightly decreased from the second to the fourth desalting solution and tend to decrease again at the stage of dealkalified in D.I water. Each Cl meter has the standard deviation according to the measured numbers and the higher concentration of $Cl^-$ ion the desalting solution has, the wider the deviation is. But when the concentration of $Cl^-$ ion is low, it was stable to use Cl meter to detect the concentration of $Cl^-$ ion from iron artifacts because there is the small deviation, It is thought that conductivity meter method is not suitable for measuring $Cl^-$ ion, because the electrical conductivity of alkaline solution is too high to measure $Cl^-$ ion.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.179-189
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• 2021

In this study, the research objects are gilt plated silver-iron nails excavated from the west of the tombs in Neungsan-ri, Buyeo. A gilt plated silver-iron nail was fabricated by combining silver and iron via heating and then gilding amalgam on top of this combination, demonstrating that this ancient artifact that can be replicated using current technology. Since the metal (Au, Ag) surface of these gilt plated artifacts are covered with iron oxide, which slips into the cracks and scratches of the artifacts as well, desalination is essential. Based on the results of the preliminary experiment, the research objects were classified into grades A, B, and C, according to the degree of corrosion and then desalinated using an alkali solution (NaOH, Sodium Sesquicarbonate of 0.1 M) at 60℃. The results demonstrate that the more serious is the degree of corrosion, the more is the amount of Cl^- detected. Further, more Cl^- was released when NaOH was used than when sodium sesquicarbonate was used, for all grades except Grade A. Furthermore, the more serious is the degree of corrosion, the longer is the desalination period and the reaction with NaOH for all grades except Grade A. A comparison of the Fe composition of the surface before and after desalination shows that Fe composition is the use of NaOH resulted in a smaller increase compared with the use of sodium sesquicarbonate, for all grades except Grade B. However, four of the nails were damaged owing to NaOH (Grade B 3ea, Grade C 1ea) during desalination. Thus, Cl^- ions are more stably released when sodium sesquicarbonate is used than when NaOH is used.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.156-179
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• 2016

Yatsushiro Shrine on the island of Kamishima located in Ise Bay, Japan, contains many cultural artifacts with ancient mirrors in significant numbers. Also included among the artifacts are horse gags and reins that are clearly of the same lineage as the horse harnesses from the unified Shilla era and Goryeo era in Korean history. Type classification and position establishment were carried out on the horse reins kept in the Yatsushiro shrine, including items such as those mentioned previously. Type A horse harness can be classified into 3 types. Based on this classification scheme, the harness type in the Yatsushiro shrine was found to belong to the most recent period. The blacksmith workshop that made the harness was producing iron wares and bronze wares, and it possessed metal forging and metal casting technologies. Note, however, that it was primarily a workshop where iron wares were made. The parts that were visible from the outside when the harness was attached were made from composite bronze, and the reins and bridle linkage were made from iron. Such integration of bronze ware production techniques and iron ware production techniques was an attempt at enhancing the practicality and embellishments on the harness.