La decoració de reflex metàl·lic: Un nanocompòsit medieval

Resum

Metallic reflection in decoration: a medieval nanocomposite.
Decoration using metallic reflection is a technology that was developed in the 9th Century in the Middle East, from where the Muslim world spread, arriving in the Iberian Peninsular in the 13th century. By the 14th century the Craftsmen had reached the Aragon kingdom, and by the 15th century this technology had also arrived in Italy. The recent characterization of antique pieces of ceramic decorated in this way, as well as of modern reproductions, has shown that the metallic reflection is due to the formation of prime layers of silver and copper nanoparticles in the glazing. In this article we describe the key points of this nanotechnology developed by medieval craftsmen, via trial and error, and without having exact knowledge of how they were affecting the material.