Animal Glue Research Articles

The Investigation of Stefan Luchian Heritage Paintings—A Multi-Analytical Approach

Based on a multi-analytical approach involving mobile techniques and lab-based devices (XPS, portable and micro-Raman spectroscopies, and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, combined with SEM/EDS and optical microscopy), this study presents the first in-depth investigation of two cultural heritage artworks painted by the famous Romanian artist Ștefan Luchian. The research highlights the artist’s use of a wide range of colors, with his palette including classic pigments such as ochers, lead white, barium white, zinc white, and viridian, as well as contemporary colors such as cobalt purple, alizarin crimson, and the little-known indium yellow. Additionally, attempts are made to characterize the binders used in the paintings, which include linseed oil and animal glue. Beyond identifying the types of pigments and materials used by the artist and assessing the degradation stage of the paintings, this study is the first to provide information regarding the use of In2O3 as a yellow pigment in artwork.

Eco-friendly gamma radiation protection using waste rice straw and animal glue enhanced by micro and nano iron oxide: a Geant4 simulation and experimental study

Eco-friendly gamma radiation protection using waste rice straw and animal glue enhanced by micro and nano iron oxide: a Geant4 simulation and experimental study

Developing recycled asphalt binder using ecofriendly bio additives

Abstract Paving recycling technique gaining high attention for environmental and economic considerations. Bio oils among which Waste Engine Oil (WEO) can been used as aged asphalt rejuvenators. WEO has a bad effect on high temperature rutting performance in spite of it is a good flow improver at low temperature. In this research, Starch (ST) and Bone Glue (BG) as natural modifiers were used to increase the high temperature performance of rejuvenated aged asphalt using WEO previously prepared. ST and BG were chosen as inexpensive, available, and ecofriendly modifiers to overcome artificial modifiers disadvantages as storage stability, high cost, air pollution and incompatibility. WEO was used in rejuvenating asphalt mix consisted of 100% Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) in a previous work. 0.75% ST and 0.5% BG (%wt. of binder) were found to be optimum contents for modifying rejuvenated RAP using Marshall test. All binders were characterized for physical, chemical, rutting factor at high temperature using Dynamic Shear Rheometer, and molecular structure. Modified RAP mixes were evaluated for mechanical tests and compared to new mix containing virgin asphalt. The results revealed that comparing to new mix, modified RAP mixes have higher rut, raveling, fatigue, and moisture resistances in percentages of 62,24,10&34% respectively. Also, the failure temperature of modified asphalt increased from 52 °C for rejuvenated aged asphalt using WEO to 70 °C as that recorded for virgin binder. ST and BG were bind physically with the rejuvenated aged binder. Finally, natural modifiers can be used practically with bio-oil in paving recycling.

Evaluation of mucilages efficacy in the removal of a natural adhesive (gacha) from a canvas by ATR – FTIR. First results

Nowadays the use of gelled systems to remove natural glues from cultural artefacts is very common, as they allow the application of controlled humidity to sensitive surfaces. These cleaning systems can be of natural or synthetic origin. The simplest gelled systems are made by adding a gelling agent (such us Laponite® RD, xanthan gum or agar-agar) to the cleaning agent.The aim of this research is to evaluate, using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR), the efficacy of hydrogels prepared from three commercial natural mucilages: guar, locust bean and konjac, in removing gacha from the reverse side of a canvas, and following the nowadays tendence that try to use eco-sustainable and bio-renewable cleaning materials. Gacha is an adhesive, made commonly with flour and animal glue as the main ingredients, used to line canvas paintings. The gels prepared were characterised by means of pH, electrical conductivity (EC), viscosity and aqueous phase release capacity. For this study, a mock-up of the canvas and the adhesive was prepared. Two application methods for the gels were tested: direct application and indirect using a physical barrier, with contact times of 15 and 30 min. The suitability of the mucilages in the elimination of the natural adhesive has been related to the decrease of the content of gacha on one side, and to the absence of gel residues after the cleaning process on the other, both parameters evaluated with ATR-FTIR analysis complemented with microscopic observations. The obtained results indicated that the removal of gacha was more effective with direct application, regardless of the mucilage used. On the other hand, mucilage residues are, in general, not significant, although in the case of direct application of guar and konjac for 15 min and locust bean and konjac for 30 min, the presence of mucilages traces were detected.

The Effect of Bone Glue on the Performance of Traditional Painted Furniture Ground Layers

This research investigates how the inclusion of bone glue affects the performance of traditional painted furniture ground layers, particularly under dry–wet cycling conditions. The ground layers, applied to wood substrates in seven different ratios of bone glue to gypsum powder (10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, and 60%), were tested for mass changes, dimensional stability, adhesion, and surface roughness. The results showed that higher bone glue content (especially 50% and 60%) led to improved stability, reduced mass fluctuations, and better dimensional stability. The 50% bone glue sample exhibited the best overall stability with minimal weight change (<1.6%) and reduced shrinkage. Adhesion strength increased with bone glue content, reaching 3.48 MPa at 60% bone glue. Lower bone glue content resulted in poor adhesion and visible defects such as cracking and blistering. SEM analysis confirmed that higher bone glue content enhanced bonding between the ground layer and the wood substrate.

A functional study of ground stone knives and sickles in the Lower Yangtze River Region during the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age

Ground stone knives and sickles were important implements in the lower Yangtze River region during the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age, playing a pivotal role in understanding the technological behaviour and economic activities of prehistoric humans. In this study, twelve knives and seven sickles of the Liangzhu culture (ca. 3300BC-2300BC) and four knives of the Maqiao culture (ca. 1900BC-1200BC) were analysed, through an integrated approach that combined use-wear analysis, Py-GC/MS analysis, and replicative experimentation. The results show that three knives and one sickle of the Liangzhu culture and two knives of the Maqiao culture had been used for harvesting gramineous plants, probably rice. The knives of the Liangzhu culture were used with handles, exhibiting two different hafting techniques, one of which potentially involved the use of animal glue as binding agents. The half-moon-shaped knives of the Maqiao culture were used handheld with two working motions: upward picking and downward pinching. Besides harvesting tools, one hafted knife of Liangzhu culture used for scraping wood or bamboo was also identified. Notably, for the first time, evidence of polishing stone knives with gramineous plants has been found in both the Liangzhu and Maqiao cultures, which potentially signifies a special symbolic or ritual significance beyond their physical functions.

Application of Polyvinyl Alcohol-Ethylene Glycol Hydrogel Technology for Removing Animal Glue in Book Restoration Based on Fluorescent Labeling Evaluation.

This study developed a novel material based on polyvinyl alcohol-ethylene glycol (PVA-EG) hydrogel and systematically evaluated its potential application in the removal of animal glue from book surfaces. The microstructure, surface properties, and mechanical characteristics of the PVA-EG hydrogel were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), contact angle measurements, a universal testing machine, and a dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The introduction of ethylene glycol (EG) could weaken hydrogen bonding interactions between PVA chains to enhance the molecular chain flexibility of the hydrogel. Notably, the 10% PVA-EG hydrogel shows better crystallinity, higher hydrophilicity, and optimal balance between mechanical strength and flexibility compared to pure PVA, which is conducive to improving the efficiency of the removal of animal glue. Additionally, the effectiveness of the process of removing animal glue was verified by real-time monitoring using europium nitrate at a concentration of 0.4% (w/v) as a fluorescent marker. Such hydrogels with high mechanical properties, strong surface hydrophilicity, good removal efficiency, and gentle treatment characteristics have potential applications in the restoration of cultural heritage.

Synthesis and Mechanism Study of an Environmental Additive Used in Water-Based Drilling Fluids from Bovine Bone Glue.

At present, animal bone glue has been widely used in industry, but there are no relevant research reports on its application in the petroleum industry. In this paper, the rheological properties, inhibition, filtration, and temperature resistance performance of modified bone glue (Mbg) were evaluated in water-based drilling fluids, and the results showed that Mbg can significantly affect the performance of water-based muds with minimal dosage, and temperature resistance of Mbg could reach up to 130 °C. The inhibition mechanism of Mbg in drilling fluids was investigated by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), zeta potential, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results revealed that when 2% Mbg was added, a three-dimensional network structure was formed in an aqueous solution, which reduced the water content from 4.83% to 4.23%. FT-IR analysis showed that Mbg strongly adsorbed onto clay through hydrogen bonding, which reduced the clay particles in based muds from 1.251 µm to 0.789 µm and effectively controlled the filtration loss of the drilling fluids.

Changes in the peel strength between the painting and first lining papers in Japanese scroll model samples

To maintain the permanence of a painting in a hanging scroll until subsequent repairs are made, inhibiting not only the deterioration of the painting and lining papers but also inhibiting decrease in the adhesiveness between them is important because the first lining process significantly influences the mechanical support to the painting paper by attachment. Several studies have been conducted on the deterioration attributed to each component of the lining system. This study evaluated the adhesiveness behaviour by peel strength in the lined complex depending on the painting and lining materials with varied concentrations, as well as the fibre type of the lining paper. The lined complex consisting of the untreated painting paper showed the highest initial peel strength owing to the significant cohesiveness of the wheat starch paste layer, which was attributed to the paper's higher wettability and permeability, even though substrate failure occurred with longer ageing times. Degradative materials such as Cu2+ attributed to pigments in the painting paper decomposed starch and decreased adhesiveness the fastest. Lined complexes coated with animal glue containing alum or Cu2+ in the painting paper maintained the lowest peel strength during ageing owing to lower wettability and permeability, resulting in interfacial failure between the animal glue and the wheat starch paste layer. In addition, adhesiveness varied with different fibre types of the lining paper, depending on combined factors such as fibre length, surface roughness, shape, and intensity of hydroxyl groups. Thus, variable conditions attributed to fibre characteristics, materials used for lining, and degradative products in the painting paper influenced the changes in adhesion and adhesiveness. This variation contributed to different lining effects that influenced the life expectancy of the hanging scroll and determined the efficiency of the subsequent repair work.

Development of craquelure patterns in paintings on canvas

Canvas paintings are layered structures composed of canvas support sized with animal glue, a preparatory layer of the ground, and paint and varnish layers on the top. Preventing or limiting humidity-induced stresses in these structures requires an understanding of the relevant processes and risks. A three-dimensional model of a canvas painting was used to analyse stresses and crack development in the two-layer structure comprised of a glue-sized canvas on a wooden stretcher with a layer of stiff chalk-glue ground representing a pictorial layer in historic canvas paintings. The model was subjected to a large relative humidity fall which induced shrinkage of the glue-sized canvas. The modelling revealed that when a stretcher with flexible wooden bars is considered, high tensile stresses arise in the ground layer at the corners of the painting, and cracks are formed in these areas in the direction perpendicular to the painting’s diagonal. Ratios of critical distances between cracks to the ground layer thickness for which stresses in the midpoints between the cracks dropped to below the level inducing fracture in the material were estimated for various magnitudes of the relative humidity drop and thicknesses of the ground layer. Increasing ground layer thickness limits the hygric response of the sized canvas and makes the paintings less vulnerable to humidity variations. The ratio of stress along the diagonal calculated for painting with one crack to the solution without cracks was described by the double Lorentz function. A simple procedure of calculating stress variations along the diagonal—using the function—on a sequential addition of cracks was developed. Cracks in central parts of canvas painting were found to be induced by permanent cumulative drying shrinkage of the oil-based paints and grounds due to the evolution of the molecular composition of the oil binder. The outcome of the modelling indicated that the risk of cracking of the pictorial layers in canvas paintings due to drops in ambient relative humidity was small.

Concrete-Inspired Bionic Bone Glue Repairs Osteoporotic Bone Defects by Gluing and Remodeling Aging Macrophages.

Osteoporotic fractures are characterized by abnormal inflammation, deterioration of the bone microenvironment, weakened mechanical properties, and difficulties in osteogenic differentiation. The chronic inflammatory state characterized by aging macrophages leads to delayed or non-healing of the fracture or even the formation of bone defects. The current bottleneck in clinical treatment is to achieve strong fixation of the comminuted bone fragments and effective regulation of the complex microenvironment of aging macrophages. Inspired by cement and gravel in concrete infrastructure, a biomimetic bone glue with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres is developed and levodopa/oxidized chitosan hydrogel stabilized on an organic-inorganic framework of nanohydroxyapatite, named DOPM. DOPM is characterized via morphological and mechanical characterization techniques, in vitro experiments with bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells, and in vivo experiments with an aged SD rat model exhibiting osteoporotic bone defects. DOPM exhibited excellent adhesion properties, good biocompatibility, and significant osteogenic differentiation. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that DOPM improved the inflammatory microenvironment by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway and promoting aging macrophage polarization toward M2 macrophages, thus significantly accelerating bone defect repair and regeneration. This biomimetic bone glue, which enhances osteointegration and reestablishes the homeostasis of aging macrophages, has potential applications in the treatment of osteoporotic bone defects.

The use of environmentally friendly natural adhesives in the production of wood composite materials

In order to find out the reasons for the formation of a bond between the adhesive and the glued material, the phenomenon of wetting wood with glue was analyzed; technological factors that characterize wood, glue and gluing conditions and their influence on the quality of the adhesive joint are also analyzed; the classification of natural adhesive materials according to various characteristics is given, the operational, technological, economic and ecological requirements for glues for wood composite materials are analyzed, the comparative characteristics of the properties of animal and vegetable glues are given; the use of adhesives of animal, vegetable and mineral origin in the production of wood composite materials is analyzed.

Authentication of a Painting Attributed to the Rembrandt School

This paper presents the archaeometric and chemometric authentication of a Renaissance-style oil painting on linen canvas, with plaster and barium sulphate-based primer preparation and bone glue as binder. By optical microscopy (OM), stereomicroscopy (SOM), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), a series of archaeometric characteristics were identified: the grain size of the chemical components of the paint layers, the 3D porosity distribution of the pigments, the degree of penetration between the paint layers and the varnish and between the varnish and the oxidatively anchored dirt, and the typology of the craquelure (craquelure network arrangement and morphology). By correlating the results obtained, it was possible to estimate the period of the painting as 1660 ± 3 years.

A MULTI-ANALYTICAL INVESTIGATION OF AN IRANIAN LITHOGRAPHY BOOK FROM THE QAJAR PERIOD

The lithography books of Iran, despite their historical importance, have received relatively little attention. This study aims to comprehensively examine an Iranian lithography book from the Qajar period titled Hayat al-Qolub, to identify its materials. The paper pulp, sizing, inks and leather of the bookbinding were analyzed through various methods, including staining tests for identifying paper pulp, light microscopy, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, Micro-spectrophotometry, multi-band imaging, SEM-EDS and LC-MS. The findings suggest that the book was made of rag paper composed of linen and cotton fibers, while animal glue and gypsum were used for paper sizing and filling, respectively. Carbon black was used as black printing ink and cochineal was used for red ink. The leather cover of the book was made of goat skin that was tanned with gallotannins and unhaired with lime. Evidence of the use of liming in the unhairing process was also observed in this leather. This research enhances our understanding of paper and bookmaking techniques of the Qajar period in Iran.

Characterization of multi-layered wall paintings from a Roman domus in Santa Maria Capua Vetere

This paper regards the preliminary characterization of wall paintings sampled in a Roman domus located in the city of Santa Maria Capua Vetere. Despite its history and archaeological remains, there is a lack of scientific studies on Roman materials and techniques adopted in this site. Samples were taken from different walls of the villa. Pigments, binders, and mortars were analyzed by optical and electronic microscopies, vibrational spectroscopies including Fourier transform infrared and micro-Raman imaging, and mass-spectrometry coupled to gas and liquid chromatography. Altogether, the multi-layers preparation, the rich pigments palette (both natural and synthetic ones) and the variety of the organic ligands used (terpenic resins or animal glue) support the hypothesis of a very wealthy owner. The absence of calcite in the pictorial layer and the presence of organic binders clearly indicates an a secco technique.

Wall Drawing #736: Revealing Sol LeWitt’s Ink Mural Technique Using a Multi-Analytical Approach

Sol LeWitt, a pioneer of conceptual art, created during his career over 1350 wall drawings, including the Wall Drawing #736 (1993) at the Center for Contemporary Art Luigi Pecci in Prato (Prato, Italy). The painting, executed by Andrea Marescalchi and Antony Sansotta under LeWitt’s instructions, features a grid of coloured rectangles obtained by overlapping different layers of inks. During a 2021 restoration by the Wall Paintings and Stuccoes Department of the Opificio delle Pietre Dure (Firenze, Italy), an in-depth investigation of the composition and the materials used by LeWitt’s assistants in producing Wall Drawing #736 was performed. A multi-analytical approach entailing Raman spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to diode array and high-resolution mass spectrometry, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and pyrolysis coupled with GC–MS was applied. Our results revealed the use of animal glue, shellac resin, paraffin wax, linseed oil, and various organic pigments. The binder in the preparation layer was identified as poly(vinyl acetate), while poly(n-butyl methacrylate) was determined as a fixative. This research provided valuable insights into LeWitt’s techniques. The acquired knowledge on the paint technique is highly relevant in supporting conservators in restoration and consolidating the many wall drawings produced exploiting the same technique all over the world.

Exploring green environmental composites as hosts for shielding materials using experimental, theoretical and Geant4 simulation methods

Rice straw is considered an agricultural waste harmful to the environment, which is abundant in most parts of the world. From this point, the present study is devoted to preparing new composites of two types of glue based on rice straw as a plentiful, low-cost matrix. Straw glue samples were prepared by mixing 20% wt. of rice straw with 80% wt. of animal glue (RS-An) and polyvinyl acetate (RS-PVAC) at different thicknesses of 1, 2, and 3 cm. The chemical composition of the prepared samples was identified by energy dispersive X-ray analysis and their morphology was examined using a scanning electron microscope. The mechanical test explored that RS-An and RS-PVAC respectively required a stress of 25.2 and 25.5 MPa before reaching the breaking point. γ-ray shielding performance was analyzed and determined at numerous photon energies from 0.059 to 1.408 MeV emitted from five-point γ-rays sources using NaI (Tl). Linear attenuation coefficient was calculated by obtaining the area under the peak of the energy spectrum observed from Genie 2000 software in the presence and absence of the sample. The experimental results of mass attenuation coefficient were compared with theoretical data of XCOM software with relative deviation ranging from 0.10 to 2.99%. Geant4 Monte Carlo simulation code was also employed to validate the experimental results. The relative deviation of XCOM and Geant4 outcomes was 0.09–1.77%, which indicates a good agreement between them. Other radiation shielding parameters such as half value layer (HVL), tenth value layer, and mean free path were calculated in three ways: experimentally, theoretically from the XCOM database, and by simulation using Geant4 code. Additionally, effective atomic number (Zeff), effective atomic number (Neff), equivalent atomic number (Zeq), and buildup factors were evaluated. It was confirmed that the γ-ray shielding properties were further boosted by mixing rice straw with the animal glue compared to the synthetic one.

Optimization of Dynamic Headspace Sampling Conditions for the Identification of Paleolithic Adhesives

ABSTRACTThe characterization of Paleolithic adhesives holds great potential for understanding human behavior and its evolution. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) is the most accurate identification method; unfortunately, it is destructive and requires a large sample size. Hence, most Paleolithic adhesives are not characterized with GC–MS. Here, a new nondestructive identification method is introduced; dynamic headspace (DHS) with two‐dimensional GC coupled to a time‐of‐flight MS. The DHS extraction is optimized with an experimental design approach. Four parameters were selected, and the optimized values were as follows: incubation temperature: 50°C, incubation time: 20 min, purge volume: 450 mL, and purge flow: 22.5 mL min−1, pine resin was chosen as a proxy for Paleolithic adhesives. Subsequently, DHS was also tested on hide glue, which has less volatile than pine resin, and the universality of the extraction was tested. With untargeted techniques, a distinction between hide glue and pine resin could be made based on their chromatographic profiles. Lastly, DHS was tested against an existing HS‐solid‐phase microextraction method. DHS showed a higher response in the total area of the chemical groups of interest. Thus, DHS has a higher sensitivity for prehistoric adhesives than solid‐phase microextraction, which is desired for minimal samples.

Research and Analysis of Woodblock Printing Ink from the Qing Dynasty Used in the Shuyede Press of Shandong

Archival writing material is an important carrier to record and reflect archival content, and its material and durability are closely related to the life of archives. The “Shuyede” press in Shandong Province, which originated in the reign of Kangxi (1662 AD–1722 AD) in the Qing dynasty, printed many important archives and ancient books of the Qing dynasty (1644 AD–1911 AD). In order to explore the material composition of woodblock printing ink from the Shuyede press, modern analytical and detection techniques such as scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS), and pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) were applied for the analysis and identification of the ink on woodblock plates from the Shuyede press. The results showed that two kinds of printing ink—pine soot ink and oil soot ink—used were in these woodblocks from the Shuyede press in the Qing dynasty in the collection of Shandong Museum, and the binding material in the ink was animal glue, indicating that both pine and oil soot inks were used as printing ink in the Qing dynasty.

Facing death: a multidisciplinary analysis of a Romano-Egyptian mummy mask at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen

Funerary masks played a crucial role in ancient Egyptian burial practices, as part of the rituals to ensure a successful afterlife. This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of a gilded mummy mask from the Roman period in Egypt from the collections of The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen. Portraying a young female, the mask belongs to a distinctive group of mummy masks, whose origins can be identified to be coming from the Dakhlah and Kharga oases. The construction of the mask (plaster, textiles) and the constituents of its polychromy (pigments, binding media) was analysed using various non- and micro-destructive methods: imaging, cross-section analysis, optical microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Additionally, samples were taken for palaeoproteomic analysis with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. A wide range of pigments such as yellow and red ochre, carbon-based black, and Egyptian blue were identified, reflecting common materials in polychromy in Egypt during the Roman period. Notably, indigo was detected, suggesting its usage in mixtures to render purple hues. Analysis of adhesives and media identified plant gum and collagen-based animal glue. Proteomic analysis identified Equus asinus (donkey) as the predominant protein source for the collagen-based glue. The results shed light on the materials and techniques employed in ancient polychromy in Egypt in the Roman period, further enriching our understanding of artistic practices at the time.