Nondestructive wood discrimination: FTIR – Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy in the characterization of different wood species used for artistic objects

Maria Crista Buoso,Demetre Zafiropoulos,Luca Silvestrin,Peter Matthaes,Mario De Poli

doi:10.1142/s201019451660212x

Maria Crista Buoso, Demetre Zafiropoulos + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1142/s201019451660212x

Copy DOI

Abstract

Wooden artifacts represent a significant component of past cultures. Successful conservation of wooden artifacts depends on the knowledge of wood structure and types. It is critical that conservators know the category of wood that they are treating in order to successfully conserve it. Recently, vibrational spectroscopy has been successfully applied to determine the chemical structure of wood and to characterize wood types. FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) is a useful nondestructive or micro-destructive analytical technique providing information about chemical bonding and molecular structure. Its application in the discrimination between softwoods (conifers) and hardwoods (broad-leafs) has already been reported. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential of FTIR as a tool for the discrimination between different wood types belonging to the same genus. Three different hardwood species, namely poplar (Populus spp), lime (Tilia spp) and birch (Betula spp), were investigated by means of FTIR spectroscopy. The woods were first inspected using a light microscope to certify the wood essence types through micrographic and morphoanatomical features. The FTIR spectra in the 4000 cm[Formula: see text] to 450 cm[Formula: see text] region were recorded using a Perkin-Elmer Spectrum 100 spectrometer. To enhance the qualitative interpretation of the IR spectra, second derivatives of all spectra were calculated using the Spectrum software to separate superimposed bands and to extract fine spectral details. To obtain a comprehensive characterization, the essences under investigation were also analyzed by means of Raman Spectroscopy. Clear differences were found in the spectra of the three samples confirming FTIR to be a powerful tool for wood type discrimination.

Highlights

Over centuries of human history, different species of wood have been widely used in the execution of artefacts
Clear differences were found in the spectra of the three samples confirming Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to be a powerful tool for wood type discrimination
The goal of the present work is to ascertain whether FTIR can be successfully used to discriminate between three hardwood essences widely used as an artistic medium: poplar (Populus spp), lime (Tilia spp) and birch (Betula spp)

Summary

Introduction

Over centuries of human history, different species of wood have been widely used in the execution of artefacts. Each geographic region favored certain wood types from technical, economic, and practical factors and from the peculiarities of the artisan tradition. Only a limited number of them have been utilized in the production of timber for artistic purposes. Birch was the most used specie for the wooden panels in byzantine icon painting.[1] Artists from northern Germany and Holland preferred oak, while those in southern Germany favored woods such as spruce and lime. In Spain, poplar, pine and occasionally walnut were commonly used while, in Italy, linden and poplar were the most adopted.[2]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion