Abstract The microstructure and composition of a contact composed of an outer layer of (30nm) Ti ... more Abstract The microstructure and composition of a contact composed of an outer layer of (30nm) Ti 0.1 W 0.9 , an intermediate layer made of (550 nm) Al(0.8 wt% Si), a diffusion barrier layer of (90 nm) Ti 0.1 W 0.9 and platinum silicide layer (about 50 nm thick) as an interconnection to the (100)Si substrate was studied after heat treatments at temperatures between 400 and 550°C. The contact microstructure was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy and electron microscopy. It was established that the contact loses its stability at 400°C, due to a diffusion of Ti and W into the Al layer, and the formation of new phases such as Al 3 Ti and Al 12 W at the Al/TiW interfaces. At 475°C, Al already penetrates the inner diffusion barrier, but not the outer TiW layer. In addition, it was found that the diffusion barrier failure at 475°C was followed by formation of bulges on the inner TiW layer surface, due to the increase in the volume resulting from the growth of Al 2 Pt at the interface between the TiW and PtSi layers.
A methodology for dating copper/bronze archaeological objects aged under atmospheric environments... more A methodology for dating copper/bronze archaeological objects aged under atmospheric environments using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is described. The method is based on the measurement of resistance associated to the growth of corrosion layers in EIS recorded upon immersion of the pieces in mineral water and applying a bias potential for the reduction of dissolved oxygen. Theoretical expressions for the time variation of such resistance following a potential rate law are presented. Equivalent expressions are derived and applied for estimating the variation of the tenorite/cuprite ratio from their specific voltammetric signals using voltammetry of microparticles data. Calibration curves were constructed from a set of well‐documented coins.
This study investigates new methods in the Jordanian museums in cleaning of ancient materials by ... more This study investigates new methods in the Jordanian museums in cleaning of ancient materials by laser cleaning of corrosion or patina products on archaeological corroded objects. This aproach aiming to introduce a methodology for the optimal laser cleaning attitude in archaeological artefacts in Jordanian meuseums. It is study focused on the feasibility of YAG Laser in cleaning of Archaeological artefacts both organic and inorganic that covered with a corrosion or crust. The clustering of inclusion particles of the patina some are hard to remove by the procedure of conventional cleaning techniques, there is an apparent danger by use the traditional methods. These methods escalate the risk of the oxidised corrosion layer breaking away which will lead to loss of details about the the object and other important surface information. The advantage of using YAG pulsed lasers for cleaning of archaeological artefacts patina or corrosion. The lasr technique is well precised controlled and c...
The composition and corrosion behavior of five archaeological lead scale weights from Qasr Ar-Rab... more The composition and corrosion behavior of five archaeological lead scale weights from Qasr Ar-Rabbah in Jordan is studied using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray micro-analysis (SEM–EDX). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to identify the mineralogical composition of the corrosion layers. It is found that the weights were relatively pure lead objects with the presence of minor elements that were associated with lead in its ores. The corrosion layers were basically composed of the stable corrosion product cerussite PbCO3, which however obscured the surface details and contained micro-cracks. AnAlYticAl invEStigAtiOn Of fivE ROmAn Pb-bASED ScAlE WEightS (QASR AR-RAbbAh, JORDAn): A cASE StuDY Ahmad Abu-baker1, Wassef Al Sekhaneh1,2*, Atef Shiyab1, Jan Dellith2, Andy Scheffel2 m. Anwar Alebrahim2, Jurgen Popp2, 3 1Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology-Conservation of Cultural ResourcesApplied Science in archaeology Yarmouk University, Postal code 211-63,...
This study investigates the consolidation effect of nanosized particles of calcium hydroxide disp... more This study investigates the consolidation effect of nanosized particles of calcium hydroxide dispersed in alcoholic medium on limestone. The treatment materials were applied on limestone samples from Jersah archaeological site as well as other fresh samples. Different parameters were taken into consideration to evaluate the efficacy of the consolidation material and include: porosity, water uptake, compressive strength, drilling resistance and salt crystallization damage resistance. Comparison between these properties before and after consolidation showed that the application of nanoparticles prepared in propanol-1, significantly improved the mechanical properties of the treated stone. Compressive strength increased by about 37% for archaeological stone and by about 25% for fresh ones, the drilling resistance increased by about 75% for archaeological stone and by about 52% for the fresh ones. Nano-sized lime has no significant effect on porosity; decreased by 4.6% and 3.2% for archa...
is paper discusses the history and current status of the field of bioarchaeology in Jordan, organ... more is paper discusses the history and current status of the field of bioarchaeology in Jordan, organizationally represented by the Department of Anthropology at Yarmouk University. e department was founded in 1984, and the first research on human re- mains was undertaken in 1991 when Mahmoud El-Najjar returned to Jordan. Today this department is still the only academic unit covering anthropology and bioarchaeology in the Arab world.
This paper will study the molecular structure of human bone fragments in the field of conservatio... more This paper will study the molecular structure of human bone fragments in the field of conservation science. The fragments were excavated from the sites of Tell al-Husn and Al Yasileh in Jordan. The applying of Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transformation infrared for comparison and Analysis of bone as a new method for hard tissue primary bone dating in the field of archaeometry. A collection of bone fragments were prepared for measurements using this new technique in dating from different ancient sites in Jordan. It is shown that the bone objects are dated back around to 2,000 years (Roman period), determined by a typological study of pottery by the excavators of these sites. This preliminary dating by vibrational spectroscopy as a preliminary method was used to classify the bone fragments if they are archaeological artifacts.
The present study is a multi-analytical approach to the characterization of several basalt stone ... more The present study is a multi-analytical approach to the characterization of several basalt stone samples, from Umm el-Jimāl Cultural Heritage site, northern Jordan, which represents ancient trade routes between Arabian Peninsula and Syria. In particular, Micro-X-ray Fluorescence Mapping as new in the mineralogy, X-ray Diffraction Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy are used for the determination of the petrological, geochemical, and mineralogical characteristics of the basalt used in this archeological site for conservation purposes. The results reveal that it belongs to the alkaline trachy-basalt to basanite-tephrite type. With predominant quartz, olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase (albite) as major elements, the vesicular texture is occupied with secondary minerals such as biotite, gypsum, and calcite.
This medical anthropological study aims to analyse and document some of the ethnomedical practice... more This medical anthropological study aims to analyse and document some of the ethnomedical practices related to both the diagnosis and treatment of infertility in northern Jordan. Several folk healers were interviewed to collect ethnographic data regarding the use of medicinal plants and rituals in the cure of partial or complete infertility. We have selected three case studies based on our belief that they represent a variety of practitioners, techniques, and clients. When asked about the socioeconomic status of their clients, most of the interviewed healers pointed out that a large segment of the people who sought their health services were from rural areas. The study deploys an anthropological approach in gathering and analysing data. In-depth interviews with healers of both sexes were conducted in various villages in northern Jordan. Furthermore, videotaping and camera photographing were used to document the different steps of various treatment procedures, including the preparatio...
Summary Single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have attracted scientific interest because of their ... more Summary Single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have attracted scientific interest because of their fascinating physical and chemical properties and for their application in materials physics and the chemical industry. The main topic of this Nano-Physics study is the investigation of the properties of water in carbon nanotubes, at different temperatures and at different concentrations of water by using the proton Magic Angle Spinning solid state nuclear magnetic resonance technique. Also the influence of metal clusters, which exist near the carbon nanotubes as a result of the synthesis, is investigated. From the Nuclear magnetic Resonance investigations on water in single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), as described in this thesis, we can draw the following conclusions: • Water is not absorbed inside SWCNTs, synthesized by the HiPCO method with a Fe catalyst, without further purification. The only water that is sorbed by the sample is water adsorbed at the outside of the nanotubes with...
Limestones have been widely used in the construction of archaeological and heritage structures in... more Limestones have been widely used in the construction of archaeological and heritage structures in Jordan. These stone structures are facing degradation due to many deterioration factors. Exposure to atmospheric conditions results in deterioration in historic monuments. Limestone conservation identifies emerging issues and challenges that have to be investigated in detail. In this study, limestone deterioration and the development of its consolidation treatments by synthesizing nano-sized particles of calcium hydroxide that dispersed in an alcoholic medium were investigated through an examination of limestone from the archaeological site of Jerash and another fresh limestone sample. Many properties were observed before and after the treatment, to examine the performance of nano-lime as a consolidant. All of the tests were conducted in laboratory conditions. When most of the conservation interventions relied on using organic materials, which were later proven to be harmful to stone on long term, a pressing demand is calling on representing new smart materials by using nano-lime for limestone consolidation; due to their improved mechanical properties, their physicochemical compatibility as consolidant materials follow the principle of authenticity of historic monuments (Wharton 1995). Results have shown that the application of nano-lime prepared in propanol-1 significantly improved the mechanical properties of the treated limestone. Compressive strength increased about 48% for archaeological and 38% for fresh samples, while the drilling increased by 500% for fresh and 84% for archaeological limestones; it has no significant change on porosity, although water uptake value (w-value) decreased 20%.
BACKGROUND: Valuable structural and chemical properties can be obtained for dentin and enamel by ... more BACKGROUND: Valuable structural and chemical properties can be obtained for dentin and enamel by vibrational spectroscopy. A better understanding of structural and chemical changes in deciduous dentition will contribute to improved dental restoration procedures for adolescents. OBJECTIVE: ATR-FTIR and Raman spectroscopy were applied to study human permanent and primary teeth. Slices were prepared from 10 German, 10 Turkish and 25 Jordanian teeth. METHODS: Raman images were collected at 785 nm excitation. FTIR images were collected using a germanium ATR accessory and focal plane array detector. Average Raman and infrared spectra were calculated for analysis. RESULTS: Our results showed that (i) the mineral to matrix ratio is lower in primary teeth than in permanent teeth, (ii) the carbonate to phosphate ratio was higher for primary teeth, (iii) crystallinity was lower in primary teeth, and (iv) collagen crosslinks occurred to be higher in primary teeth. FTIR and Raman data confirmed the results of each other. Deconvolution of the infrared band near 870 cm−1 reveals evidence for A2-type carbonate substitution on hydroxyapatite of primary teeth spectra in addition to the A and B type carbonate substitution that are also found in permanent teeth. CONCLUSIONS: Beside chemical and structural differences found between primary and permanent teeth, variations between the origin and age of the specimens were observed which requires further systematic investigations.
Abstract The microstructure and composition of a contact composed of an outer layer of (30nm) Ti ... more Abstract The microstructure and composition of a contact composed of an outer layer of (30nm) Ti 0.1 W 0.9 , an intermediate layer made of (550 nm) Al(0.8 wt% Si), a diffusion barrier layer of (90 nm) Ti 0.1 W 0.9 and platinum silicide layer (about 50 nm thick) as an interconnection to the (100)Si substrate was studied after heat treatments at temperatures between 400 and 550°C. The contact microstructure was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy and electron microscopy. It was established that the contact loses its stability at 400°C, due to a diffusion of Ti and W into the Al layer, and the formation of new phases such as Al 3 Ti and Al 12 W at the Al/TiW interfaces. At 475°C, Al already penetrates the inner diffusion barrier, but not the outer TiW layer. In addition, it was found that the diffusion barrier failure at 475°C was followed by formation of bulges on the inner TiW layer surface, due to the increase in the volume resulting from the growth of Al 2 Pt at the interface between the TiW and PtSi layers.
A methodology for dating copper/bronze archaeological objects aged under atmospheric environments... more A methodology for dating copper/bronze archaeological objects aged under atmospheric environments using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is described. The method is based on the measurement of resistance associated to the growth of corrosion layers in EIS recorded upon immersion of the pieces in mineral water and applying a bias potential for the reduction of dissolved oxygen. Theoretical expressions for the time variation of such resistance following a potential rate law are presented. Equivalent expressions are derived and applied for estimating the variation of the tenorite/cuprite ratio from their specific voltammetric signals using voltammetry of microparticles data. Calibration curves were constructed from a set of well‐documented coins.
This study investigates new methods in the Jordanian museums in cleaning of ancient materials by ... more This study investigates new methods in the Jordanian museums in cleaning of ancient materials by laser cleaning of corrosion or patina products on archaeological corroded objects. This aproach aiming to introduce a methodology for the optimal laser cleaning attitude in archaeological artefacts in Jordanian meuseums. It is study focused on the feasibility of YAG Laser in cleaning of Archaeological artefacts both organic and inorganic that covered with a corrosion or crust. The clustering of inclusion particles of the patina some are hard to remove by the procedure of conventional cleaning techniques, there is an apparent danger by use the traditional methods. These methods escalate the risk of the oxidised corrosion layer breaking away which will lead to loss of details about the the object and other important surface information. The advantage of using YAG pulsed lasers for cleaning of archaeological artefacts patina or corrosion. The lasr technique is well precised controlled and c...
The composition and corrosion behavior of five archaeological lead scale weights from Qasr Ar-Rab... more The composition and corrosion behavior of five archaeological lead scale weights from Qasr Ar-Rabbah in Jordan is studied using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray micro-analysis (SEM–EDX). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to identify the mineralogical composition of the corrosion layers. It is found that the weights were relatively pure lead objects with the presence of minor elements that were associated with lead in its ores. The corrosion layers were basically composed of the stable corrosion product cerussite PbCO3, which however obscured the surface details and contained micro-cracks. AnAlYticAl invEStigAtiOn Of fivE ROmAn Pb-bASED ScAlE WEightS (QASR AR-RAbbAh, JORDAn): A cASE StuDY Ahmad Abu-baker1, Wassef Al Sekhaneh1,2*, Atef Shiyab1, Jan Dellith2, Andy Scheffel2 m. Anwar Alebrahim2, Jurgen Popp2, 3 1Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology-Conservation of Cultural ResourcesApplied Science in archaeology Yarmouk University, Postal code 211-63,...
This study investigates the consolidation effect of nanosized particles of calcium hydroxide disp... more This study investigates the consolidation effect of nanosized particles of calcium hydroxide dispersed in alcoholic medium on limestone. The treatment materials were applied on limestone samples from Jersah archaeological site as well as other fresh samples. Different parameters were taken into consideration to evaluate the efficacy of the consolidation material and include: porosity, water uptake, compressive strength, drilling resistance and salt crystallization damage resistance. Comparison between these properties before and after consolidation showed that the application of nanoparticles prepared in propanol-1, significantly improved the mechanical properties of the treated stone. Compressive strength increased by about 37% for archaeological stone and by about 25% for fresh ones, the drilling resistance increased by about 75% for archaeological stone and by about 52% for the fresh ones. Nano-sized lime has no significant effect on porosity; decreased by 4.6% and 3.2% for archa...
is paper discusses the history and current status of the field of bioarchaeology in Jordan, organ... more is paper discusses the history and current status of the field of bioarchaeology in Jordan, organizationally represented by the Department of Anthropology at Yarmouk University. e department was founded in 1984, and the first research on human re- mains was undertaken in 1991 when Mahmoud El-Najjar returned to Jordan. Today this department is still the only academic unit covering anthropology and bioarchaeology in the Arab world.
This paper will study the molecular structure of human bone fragments in the field of conservatio... more This paper will study the molecular structure of human bone fragments in the field of conservation science. The fragments were excavated from the sites of Tell al-Husn and Al Yasileh in Jordan. The applying of Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transformation infrared for comparison and Analysis of bone as a new method for hard tissue primary bone dating in the field of archaeometry. A collection of bone fragments were prepared for measurements using this new technique in dating from different ancient sites in Jordan. It is shown that the bone objects are dated back around to 2,000 years (Roman period), determined by a typological study of pottery by the excavators of these sites. This preliminary dating by vibrational spectroscopy as a preliminary method was used to classify the bone fragments if they are archaeological artifacts.
The present study is a multi-analytical approach to the characterization of several basalt stone ... more The present study is a multi-analytical approach to the characterization of several basalt stone samples, from Umm el-Jimāl Cultural Heritage site, northern Jordan, which represents ancient trade routes between Arabian Peninsula and Syria. In particular, Micro-X-ray Fluorescence Mapping as new in the mineralogy, X-ray Diffraction Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy are used for the determination of the petrological, geochemical, and mineralogical characteristics of the basalt used in this archeological site for conservation purposes. The results reveal that it belongs to the alkaline trachy-basalt to basanite-tephrite type. With predominant quartz, olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase (albite) as major elements, the vesicular texture is occupied with secondary minerals such as biotite, gypsum, and calcite.
This medical anthropological study aims to analyse and document some of the ethnomedical practice... more This medical anthropological study aims to analyse and document some of the ethnomedical practices related to both the diagnosis and treatment of infertility in northern Jordan. Several folk healers were interviewed to collect ethnographic data regarding the use of medicinal plants and rituals in the cure of partial or complete infertility. We have selected three case studies based on our belief that they represent a variety of practitioners, techniques, and clients. When asked about the socioeconomic status of their clients, most of the interviewed healers pointed out that a large segment of the people who sought their health services were from rural areas. The study deploys an anthropological approach in gathering and analysing data. In-depth interviews with healers of both sexes were conducted in various villages in northern Jordan. Furthermore, videotaping and camera photographing were used to document the different steps of various treatment procedures, including the preparatio...
Summary Single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have attracted scientific interest because of their ... more Summary Single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have attracted scientific interest because of their fascinating physical and chemical properties and for their application in materials physics and the chemical industry. The main topic of this Nano-Physics study is the investigation of the properties of water in carbon nanotubes, at different temperatures and at different concentrations of water by using the proton Magic Angle Spinning solid state nuclear magnetic resonance technique. Also the influence of metal clusters, which exist near the carbon nanotubes as a result of the synthesis, is investigated. From the Nuclear magnetic Resonance investigations on water in single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), as described in this thesis, we can draw the following conclusions: • Water is not absorbed inside SWCNTs, synthesized by the HiPCO method with a Fe catalyst, without further purification. The only water that is sorbed by the sample is water adsorbed at the outside of the nanotubes with...
Limestones have been widely used in the construction of archaeological and heritage structures in... more Limestones have been widely used in the construction of archaeological and heritage structures in Jordan. These stone structures are facing degradation due to many deterioration factors. Exposure to atmospheric conditions results in deterioration in historic monuments. Limestone conservation identifies emerging issues and challenges that have to be investigated in detail. In this study, limestone deterioration and the development of its consolidation treatments by synthesizing nano-sized particles of calcium hydroxide that dispersed in an alcoholic medium were investigated through an examination of limestone from the archaeological site of Jerash and another fresh limestone sample. Many properties were observed before and after the treatment, to examine the performance of nano-lime as a consolidant. All of the tests were conducted in laboratory conditions. When most of the conservation interventions relied on using organic materials, which were later proven to be harmful to stone on long term, a pressing demand is calling on representing new smart materials by using nano-lime for limestone consolidation; due to their improved mechanical properties, their physicochemical compatibility as consolidant materials follow the principle of authenticity of historic monuments (Wharton 1995). Results have shown that the application of nano-lime prepared in propanol-1 significantly improved the mechanical properties of the treated limestone. Compressive strength increased about 48% for archaeological and 38% for fresh samples, while the drilling increased by 500% for fresh and 84% for archaeological limestones; it has no significant change on porosity, although water uptake value (w-value) decreased 20%.
BACKGROUND: Valuable structural and chemical properties can be obtained for dentin and enamel by ... more BACKGROUND: Valuable structural and chemical properties can be obtained for dentin and enamel by vibrational spectroscopy. A better understanding of structural and chemical changes in deciduous dentition will contribute to improved dental restoration procedures for adolescents. OBJECTIVE: ATR-FTIR and Raman spectroscopy were applied to study human permanent and primary teeth. Slices were prepared from 10 German, 10 Turkish and 25 Jordanian teeth. METHODS: Raman images were collected at 785 nm excitation. FTIR images were collected using a germanium ATR accessory and focal plane array detector. Average Raman and infrared spectra were calculated for analysis. RESULTS: Our results showed that (i) the mineral to matrix ratio is lower in primary teeth than in permanent teeth, (ii) the carbonate to phosphate ratio was higher for primary teeth, (iii) crystallinity was lower in primary teeth, and (iv) collagen crosslinks occurred to be higher in primary teeth. FTIR and Raman data confirmed the results of each other. Deconvolution of the infrared band near 870 cm−1 reveals evidence for A2-type carbonate substitution on hydroxyapatite of primary teeth spectra in addition to the A and B type carbonate substitution that are also found in permanent teeth. CONCLUSIONS: Beside chemical and structural differences found between primary and permanent teeth, variations between the origin and age of the specimens were observed which requires further systematic investigations.
Conservation of Tangible and Intangible Properties of the Tent in Jordanian Badia, 2017
A tent that flutters in the wind is more comfortable to me than a great palace. Morsel
of food in... more A tent that flutters in the wind is more comfortable to me than a great palace. Morsel of food in the dish from my tent is tastier to me than a chunk of bread. The sound of the wind coming from all sides is more pleasant to me than the plucking of tambourine.
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Papers by Wassef Al Sekhaneh
of food in the dish from my tent is tastier to me than a chunk of bread. The sound of
the wind coming from all sides is more pleasant to me than the plucking of
tambourine.