Potential of synchrotron X-ray diffraction computed tomography (XRDCT) for a 3D non-destructive and/or non-invasive characterisation of cultural heritage geomaterials (CHG)

The present work describes the high potential of the recently developed synchrotron X-ray diffraction computed tomography (XRDCT) for 3D mapping of crystalline and amorphous phases in Geomaterials of Cultural Heritage (CHG). The paper critically discusses the promising results and limitations of XRDCT in Cultural Heritage applications. XRDCT has been applied herein to diverse CHG materials, spanning from archaeological ceramics, and stone conservation treatments to meteorites, at a microscale. Although these materials are very complex systems from a chemical, mineralogical and microstructural point of view, this innovative technique proves effective capability to access the real spatial distribution and semi-quantification of crystallographic phases within materials in a totally non-destructive and/or non-invasive way.