Portable Spectroscopic Techniques for the Non-invasive Identification of two historical yellow pigments: Applications and Practical Challenges

Abstract Decades of technological advances in instrumental analysis have transformed many techniques from laboratory in portable analytical tools with increasing their applicability in situ to the study of cultural heritage. It is known that the painting realisation varies from artist to artist, and the identification of the pigments provides a decisive contribution to trace their authenticity and to support an appropriate restoration work. However, in some cases, due to the complexity of painting composition, it is difficult to distinguish between pigments having a similar chemical composition and colour. Here, a systematic study through combined use of portable non-invasive spectroscopic …

Effect of preparation method on the properties of poly(methyl methacrylate)/mesoporous silica composites

The preparation method of a polymer composite and the filler loading are amongst the factors that influence the properties of the final composites. This article studies the effect of these factors on the thermal stability and thermal degradation kinetics of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/mesoporous silica (MCM-41) composites filled with small amounts of MCM-41. The PMMA/MCM-41 composites were prepared through in situ polymerisation and melt mixing methods, with MCM-41 loadings of 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 wt.%. The presence of MCM-41 increased the thermal stability of PMMA/MCM-41 composites prepared by melt mixing, but in the case of the in situ polymerised samples, the MCM-41 accelerated the deg…

Gli affreschi provenienti dalle terme romane di Reggio Calabria. Dalla conoscenza al restauro

The frescoes at marine thermae discovered in 1886 during the excavation of the small thermal complex dating between the 1th and 3rd century AD, and located on the seafront of Reggio Calabria, have been collected already collapsed. They are currently part of the permanent exhibition of the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria. This paper illustrates the results of the restoration intervention, carried out in the form of an educational activity in the context of an agreement signed between the MarRC and the University of Calabria, and the results of the diagnostic investigations carried out by the IPCF-CNR of Messina and the STEBICEF department of the University of Palermo.

Luminescent inks based on Eu:PO4 nanoparticles and polyvinyl alcohol for anti-counterfeiting

CARATTERIZZAZIONE E TRATTAMENTO DELLA CARTA DI UN VOLUME A STAMPA DEL 1591

In questo lavoro si riporta l’applicazione di un trattamento innovativo per la deacidificazione e contemporanea riduzione della carta messo a punto per un volume a stampa del XVI sec., contenente i quattro vangeli in arabo e latino, di proprietà della Soprintendenza di Siracusa. È stato studiato lo stato di conservazione della carta mediante tecniche non invasive o microinvasive quali pHmetria, colorimetria, spettroscopia di risonanza magnetica nucleare e spettroscopia infrarossa. Inoltre, l’inchiostro usato per la stampa del testo e delle incisioni è stato identificato mediante la spettroscopia Raman. La carta mostra un degrado di tipo ossidativo e acido. Gli inchiostri presenti contengono…

Solid state nmr characterization of the waterlogged wooden part of Acqualadrone roman rostrum

The roman rostrum found in the sea of Acqualadrone (ME) was characterized in our previous papers. In the present work solid state NMR spectroscopy was applied on a wooden sample of the same artefact collected by coring and divided in four parts in order to correlate the conservation state to the depth. Results were compared with those obtained for a modern wood of the same species. A structural study was performed by the acquisition of 13C Cross Polarization Magic Angle Spinning (13C CP MAS NMR) spectra. These spectra were acquired to assign the chemical shifts of the species that are present in the wooden matrix. In addition the spectra analysis allowed us to determine the cellulose crysta…

Composizione per la deacidificazione e la riduzione della carta e relativo metodo per il restauro della carta

La presente invenzione si riferisce al campo della chimica e più precisamente al settore del restauro e conservazione della carta. Essa consiste in una composizione basica e riducente da utilizzare in un relativo metodo per il restauro di carta antica soggetta a degrado acido e ossidativo.

A database for historical pigments through handheld instrumentation

Portable instrumentation is largely used in archaeometry for in-field measurements at museums and archaeological sites. The historic evolution of pigments is closely related to the technology developments in past cultures and provides relevant clues regarding their knowledge advancement. Here, a systematic study of 26 historical powdered pigments was carried out through a combined handheld instrumentation for X-ray Fluorescence. Chemical identification was carried out through a set of instrumentation produced by different manufacturers. Their performances are compared on the same set of samples to identify best practices for the study of historical pigments. A database of organic and inorga…

Spectroscopy for the characterization of materials and cultural heritage

The use of radiation or of particles as probes to investigate the matter by spectroscopic techniques is one of the main ways followed by researchers to define its structure and properties. Furthermore, there are several mechanisms of interaction able to provide indirect information about composition, bonds, and interactions, which describe the state of the system under investigation by proposing a proper model. For this reason, Spectroscopy can be considered a powerful tool for the study of materials by the characterization of the features influencing the properties. In the last years, the application fields of spectroscopic techniques was extended from synthetic materials also to the study…

New insight on metal finds of the Punic Ship of Lilibeum

In this paper, the investigation of some finds (two nails, a head and a long shaft nail, and a fragment of Lead sheathing) belonging to the wreck of the Punic ship and exhibited at Museo Archeologico Regionale Lilibeo (Trapani, Italy), is reported. The X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) allowed us to identify the elements constituting them making some discussion deductions about their composition and degradation occurred.

Effect of methaacrylic acid on the structure of Eu:YAG-PMMA composites

Polymeric composites of lanthanide-doped materials were recently considered as potential candidates for the development of light emitting diodes, lasers and luminescent concentrators for solar cells. In particular, nanoparticles of yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) doped with cerium ions embedded in polymetylmetacrylate (PMMA) have been valuable for white LED devices [1,2]. Different structures and micromechanical properties have been observed when the methacrylic acid (MAA) is present in the composite. With the aim to understand the effect of MAA on the composite structure, a series of Eu:YAG composites prepared by in situ polymerization starting from mixtures of MAA and methylmetacrylate (MMA…