Fall 2019 - Chemical Analysis Class Projects

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Document Type

Open Access Poster

Keywords

Dyes and dyeing--Analysis;

Description

Mandarin Squares were officially used from the Ming Dynasty (1391 AD) until the end of the Qing Dynasty (1912), though the tradition dates back even further

These badges were instruments of politics and courtly etiquette, and the animal subject denoted rank and position

Design subject to artistic movements as tastes changed

Common elements include symbolism, good luck charms, flight/motion, mystical beasts (below)

Traditionally worn as two panels on either side of a riding jacket, therefore split by a seam in the middle (see right)

Above: Data Collection using handheld IR Fiber Optic probe Below: A sample page from the Kusakizome book

Portrait of a Young Official (artist unknown, public domain)

UNI 2000.10.0002 (“Dim”) UNI 2000.10.0003 (“Golden”)

Traditional textile production in Japan included weaving, metallic thread coating, and dyeing using naturally-occurring minerals and plant products (Kusakizome)

Dyes extracted by drying, grinding, boiling, fermenting, etc.

Fabrics were soaked, and the dye fixed with lye, mineral mordants; over time, further chemical reactions could fade or change the color of the threads

Most techniques to determine dye content in artifacts require destructive methods (such as GC-MS or Surface- Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy)

However, non-destructive spectral analyses are possible if a suitable library of similar artifacts can be used for reference

An analysis of the visible reflectance typically involves comparison of inflection points

NIR has shown the ability to distinguish thread types

Publication Date

Fall 2019

Faculty Advisor

Joshua Sebree

Department

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Publisher

Rod Library, University of Northern Iowa

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Fiber-Optic Spectroscopy of Mandarin Square Textile Artifacts

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Chemistry Commons

COinS