Microstructure of Ancient Chinese Copper Artefacts

Over one thousand samples which was acquired from original excavation sites provided abundant speciments for the microstructure study of ancient Chinese copper arntefacts. The results show that the materials of ancient Chinese copper include pure copper, arsenic copper,lead bronze, lead-tin bronze, brass, lead brass, silver copper, arsenic paktong and nickel paktong, etc. The microstructure of ancient Chinese copper artefacts illustrate the casting structure of different composition, working structure including hot working and cold working and unusual cases, which differ from those of the modem copper alloys.