Faculty of Physics - University of Bucharest

UNIVERSITY OF BUCHAREST
FACULTY OF PHYSICS

Guest
2026-06-12 0:10

HOME CONFERENCES SEARCH LOGIN NEW USER IMAGES

Conference: Bucharest University Faculty of Physics 2026 Meeting

Section: Polymer Physics

Title:

Non-Destructive SEM–EDAX Characterization of Early 20th Century Fountain Pen Alloys and Micro-Topography

Authors:

Luciana Sutan (1,2); Ana Maria Iordache (2); Bogdan Bita (1,2)

Affiliation:

1) Department of Electricity, Solid-State Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Physics, University of Bucharest, 405 Atomistilor, 077125, Magurele, Romania

2) Optospintronics Department, National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics - INOE 2000, 409 Atomistilor, 077125, Magurele, Romania

E-mail

luciana23maria23@gmail.com

Keywords:

SEM-EDAX analysis Fountain pen heritage materials Gold alloy composition Archaeometallurgy Non-destructive investigation

Abstract:

This paper presents a non-destructive investigation of a collection of historical writing instruments (fountain pens from the period 1900–1925, including brands such as Waterman and Vulcan), aiming to correlate the historical documentation of the era with the compositional and micro-topographical reality of the materials used. The investigation was carried out using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDAX), employing an electron beam acceleration voltage of 10 kV. SEM images (obtained at magnifications of up to 500×) enabled detailed observation of the quality of micro-mechanical processing, highlighting the structural integrity of the capillary slit, the breather hole, and the quality of patent-type engravings. Simultaneously, compositional EDAX analysis, based on the detection of characteristic X-ray radiation, validated the purity of gold alloys declared by manufacturers at the beginning of the 20th century. The results confirmed the presence of 14-karat (~58.3% Au) and 18-karat (~70–75% Au) alloys, frequently identified as ternary alloys with silver (Ag) and copper (Cu), used to achieve optimal mechanical flexibility. Furthermore, point analysis of contact areas revealed the absence of gold in favor of hard alloying elements (palladium, tin), along with significant concentrations of carbon and iodine, indicating the presence of wear-resistant materials and decadal stratifications of organic compounds. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of combined SEM-EDAX techniques in archaeometallurgy and the characterization of heritage materials, providing a high-resolution, quantitative, and topographical evaluation that is strictly non-destructive.

References:

1. Gimeno-Adelantado, J.V.; Ferrer Eres, M.A.; Valle-Algarra, F.M.; Peris-Vicente, J.; Bosch-Reig, F. Analytical Study by SEM/EDX and Metallographic Techniques of Materials Used in the Iron Production Process during the Iberian Period. Talanta 2003, 60, 895–910.

2. Serrano, S.; et al. Study of an Iron Age Gilded Silver Earring by XRF, SEM–EDX and Metallographic Analysis. Heritage 2023, 6(5), 220.

Acknowledgement:

Acknowledges the Core Program with the National Research Development and Innovation Plan 2022–2027, carried out with the support of MCID, project no. PN 23 05.