Feasibility of analyzing molecular pigments in paint layers using TOF S-SIMS.

A first attempt to measure the molecular compositions of pigments in paintings using static SIMS was made. An investigation of pellets of pure pigments such as auripigment and verdigris allowed the detection of numerous high m/z ions useful for molecular identification. Analysis of pigments in embedded paint fragments, on the other hand, only yielded elemental information because of charge build-up and contamination problems. Optimization of the form in which the sample is presented to the analysis method is obviously the price to pay for the ultimate sensitivity and information depth of S-SIMS.