Course on microscopy

The College of Microscopy of The McCrone Group is pleased to offer

COM 425
Introduction to the Microscopical Identification of Conservation
Materials
Location:

    College of Microscopy
    850 Pasquinelli Drive
    Westmont, Illinois 60559
    630-887-7100
    Fax: 630-887-7417
    May 7-11, 2007
    Monday-Thursday: 8am-5pm
    Friday:   8am-Noon

Founded in 1956 and located in Westmont, Illinois, The McCrone
Group, Inc., is internationally recognized as a world leader in
microscopy, microanalysis, materials characterization, and solving
tough materials problems. Today, The McCrone Group, Inc. is regarded
as "The Premier Microscopy Resource" and combines the talents and
skills of its staff in the areas of materials analysis, instrument
sales, and education.

The College of Microscopy is pleased to offer a Special Applications
course in the microscopical identification of conservation
materials. This course will introduce the student to methods of
conservation material identification using materials across all
conservation specialties including pigments, paper, fibers, object
materials, architectural materials, and inks.

The course will concentrate on using polarized light microscopy
(PLM) for identification (though a more thorough treatment of PLM
theory and principles is covered in the Polarized-Light Microscopy
course) but also introduces students to other analytical methods
used as confirmatory methods; these include Microchemical methods,
elemental characterization using XRF or SEM/EDS, Raman, and infrared
spectroscopy. The students examine and sample artifacts, prepare
specimens for analysis, perform PLM analysis, and direct or perform
further confirmatory analyses. Methods for characterization of
organic materials are also discussed.

Course Outline

    1.  Basic principles of stereomicroscopy including coaxial,
        oblique, and ring light illumination techniques used for
        inspection and recording of paint samples. Students will use
        the Olympus SZX10 stereomicroscope

    2.  Examining and sampling conservation materials, specimen
        preparation for PLM, and other analytical techniques

    3.  Mechanical and optical microscope alignment for optimal
        illumination considerations and a micrometry exercise.
        Students will use the Olympus BX51 polarized-light
        microscope

    4.  Determination of particle morphology, color absorption, and
        other characteristics

    5.  The principles of plane-polarized light with hands-on
        exercises on how to perform refractive index measurements,
        observations of color, and pleochroism

    6.  The principles of crossed-polarized light with hands-on
        exercises determining isotropic vs. anisotropic,
        birefringence using the Michel-Levy Interference Color
        Chart, and qualitative extinction positions of particles

    7.  Survey of conservation materials including pigments, paper,
        fibers, object materials, architectural materials, and inks

    8.  Confirmatory methods: Microchemical tests, EDS, SEM, FTIR,
        and Raman

What you will learn:

    How to sample artifacts for PLM and instrumental analyses
    How to identify conservation materials
    Polarized light microscopy (Olympus BX51 microscopes and SZX10
        stereomicroscopes)

Who should enroll: Everyone with the need for problem solving using
polarized light microscopy, including

    Conservators
    Historic Preservationists
    Archeologists
    Conservation Scientists
    Conservation Students
    Color Scientists

Student learning resources:

    Detailed course manual including John Gustav Delly's new book,
        Essentials of Polarized Light Microscopy

    Olympus BX51 microscope for each student
    Olympus SZX10 stereomicroscopes for each student

Suggested Prerequisites:

    Familiarity with conservation materials
    Familiarity with polarized light microscopy concepts is helpful

Satisfactory Completion Requirements Students are expected to
successfully complete a variety of tasks related to the material
presented in the course. These tasks will be in the form of hands-on
exercises, laboratory exercises, identifications of unknowns, and
quizzes. In addition, the students are required to have 100%
attendance during the course, participate in class, and complete a
student evaluation form.

The student is notified at the end of the course whether or not they
have successfully completed the requirements of the course based on
attendance, class participation and completion of course material
and the student evaluation form. Upon successfully completing these
requirements, a student will be awarded a certificate of completion
and CEU credits, if available. Those who have not successfully
passed the course requirements will not receive a certificate or CEU
credits.

Cost: $1850.00

IACET CEUs Earned: 3.5

Register online at <URL:http://www.collegeofmicroscopy.com>


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 20:24
                 Distributed: Friday, November 3, 2006
                       Message Id: cdl-20-24-009
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