Application of Solid-state Electrochemical Analysis in Ancient Ceramic Identification and Characterization: A Review

Background:Ceramics can reflect ancient technology and art; therefore, it has a very important position in archaeology. However, it is far from enough just to study the shape of pottery and porcelain. It is necessary to use advanced scientific and technological means to conduct a comprehensive analysis of pottery and porcelain, so as to study the information hidden deep in the remains of ceramic objects. Methods: The solid voltammetric method can be used to obtain information about the composition of materials used in ancient ceramics. This new method can be applied to insoluble solids, for example, providing qualitative and quantitative information and structural information with little soluble solids. The method requires only ng-μg sample. Results:In this review, we first describe the development of a solid-state voltammetric method and our work in this field. Then, we describe in detail the application of this method in archaeology, especially in the analysis of ceramics. Finally, we describe the analytical applications of other electrochemical techniques for ceramics analysis. Conclusion: Due to the low demand for samples and the high-cost performance of analytical instruments, this method has been widely studied in Europe. To sum up, we propose to establish a microsampling method for ancient ceramics; a new method for the protection of fine ancient ceramics by the suitable carrier and the fixation on the surface of the electrode. These improvements can enable solid-state electroanalytical chemistry technology to achieve a more comprehensive and accurate quantitative analysis of ancient ceramics particles. We also propose the current challenges and future directions of solid-state electroanalytical chemistry.