Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute to Jointly Build Neutron Cultural Heritage Protection Laboratory

On September 2, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute signed a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly advance the construction of the "Neutron Cultural Heritage Protection Laboratory," promoting the deep integration of modern technology and cultural heritage conservation. Yang Zhenbin, Party Secretary of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Pu Xin, Deputy Director of the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration, delivered speeches respectively and jointly witnessed the signing.

This collaboration focuses on the scientific research, conservation, and transmission of significant cultural heritage sites including Sanxingdui. The Sanxingdui site is a vital component of the Chinese Civilization Exploration Project. With the continuous advancement of archaeological excavations in recent years, a large number of precious artifacts have been unearthed, with increasingly complex structures and materials. How to accurately obtain their internal structure, material composition, manufacturing techniques, and preservation status without damaging the artifacts themselves has become a critical issue in cultural heritage conservation and archaeological research.

Under the agreement, the two parties will focus on key scientific issues in cultural heritage conservation and promote the application of technologies such as neutron non-destructive testing, material provenance analysis, AI-assisted research, and digital twin restoration in the field of archaeology. Shanghai Jiao Tong University has accumulated research expertise in materials science, artificial intelligence, digital technology, and the application of large-scale scientific facilities; the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Research Institute has long been engaged in archaeological research on Sanxingdui and the ancient Shu civilization, possessing frontline experience in cultural heritage conservation and research resources.

The two parties will leverage the "Hetu" and "Luoshu" advanced neutron science spectrometer platforms at Shanghai Jiao Tong University to conduct high-precision neutron testing experiments, performing internal structure imaging, material composition analysis, and hidden information extraction without damaging artifacts, thereby providing non-destructive characterization technical pathways for cultural heritage and archaeological research.

In the next phase, the two parties will focus on important cultural relics such as Sanxingdui bronze artifacts as core research subjects, advancing the construction of an innovation chain of "large-scale scientific facilities—key technologies—cultural relic research—conservation applications," exploring multidisciplinary models of scientific and technological conservation of cultural relics, while simultaneously carrying out laboratory construction, joint research initiatives, results transformation, and interdisciplinary talent cultivation.