Neutron diffraction characterization of Japanese armour components

In this work we present an extensive time of flight neutron diffraction (ToF-ND) study on some Japanese armour components. The experiments were carried out at the INES diffractometer at ISIS, the pulsed neutron source in the UK. In particular, we have studied seven Japanese helmets (kabuto) made between the 16th and 17th century. By means of this non-invasive approach we have been able to determine quantitatively the phase composition and the microstructural properties of these artefacts. The samples belong to different periods and different levels of quality. The observed differences were quantified in terms of the accuracy and amount of their working. A quantitative determination of their phases and of the thermo-mechanical treatments has been obtained for all investigated samples, confirming that the use of ToF-ND represents one of the most suitable non-destructive approaches for the characterization of metal archaeological artefacts.