A new perspective on the study of thermal treatment processes of Asian bronze : a view from modern Korean Yugi ware

高锡青铜的强度往往相对较低。然而，在古代，合金经常被用作镜子、武器和乐器的原材料。对现代韩国和印度的传统高锡青铜制造企业进行调查的结果显示，锡含量在22%左右的高锡青铜制品是在550 ~ 780℃的温度范围内通过铸造或热锻成形的。特别是，热锻造使我们能够制造薄壁（约0.3毫米）的青铜碗。调查还发现，热锻青铜碗随后在650至740℃的温度范围内进行水淬，以提高产品的强度。由于这些结果，对青铜制品的金相检验使我们对古代高锡青铜制品的制造技术有了新的认识。

High-tin bronze tends to have relatively low-strength. Nevertheless, the alloys were frequently used as raw materials of mirrors, weapons and musical instruments in antiquity. Investigations of traditional high-tin bronze manufacturers in modern Korea and India revealed that forming of high-tin bronze products with a content of around 22% tin was performed through casting or hot forging in the temperature range between 550 and 780℃. In particular, hot forging has enabled us to fabricate bronze bowls with thin (approximately 0.3mm) wall. The investigations also revealed that hot forged bronze bowls were subsequently water quenched from the temperature range between 650 and 740℃ in order to increase the strength of the products. Due to the results, metallographic examination of bronze artifacts allowed us to shed new light on fabrication techniques of ancient high-tin bronze products.