 |
| Tomb of Nebumun demonstrates shades of Egyptian blue pigment. Interestingly, or perhaps to be expected, these shades of blue are very popular today in home decor. Turquoise, aqua, teal, sky blue, and robin's egg blue, are all featured in today's upscale decor. |
From archaeology.org
From Egyptian Blue to Infrared
Monday, April 08, 2013
Egyptian blue is known as the world’s oldest artificial pigment, first used more than 4,500 years ago, found on wall paintings at Luxor and sculptures recovered from the Parthenon. The hue comes from a compound called calcium copper tetrasilicate. Over the past decade, museum conservators and archaeologists have taken advantage of its properties to spot the presence of Egyptian blue on antiquities: When red light is shone on the pigment, it reflects infrared light, which can be detected via night-vision goggles or cameras.
Chemists at the University of Georgia (UGA) have now determined that the luminescent quality of calcium copper tetrasilicate is retained even when the compound is reduced to what are termed “nanosheets,” a thousand times thinner than a human hair. “Even if you have a single layer, the thinnest possible, you still get the effect,” explains UGA’s Tina Salguero. At that scale, she believes, you can start thinking about modern applications.
Salguero says that Egyptian blue’s primary molecule could be incorporated into a dye to improve medical imaging, since the infrared radiation it would reflect can pass through human tissue. The pigment’s luminescent quality could also be effective for developing new types of security ink, typically used to secure currencies and other official documents from forgery. Further, the possibilities for a second act for the long-out-of-use coloring extend to devices such as light-emitting diodes and optical fibers, both of which transmit signals using the relatively long wavelength of infrared light.
The UGA team is now looking at another compound, barium copper tetrasilicate, which was also used as an ancient pigment, in this case by the Chinese.
Prior posts on Egyptian blue:
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Ancient "Blue" Back in the News
Prior
post - did the old world and new world "blue" hues have something in
common? Use the Goddesschess blog search feature, type in the word "blue"
(without the quotes), and a whole bunch of interesting articles will appear to
give you background on this fascinating, ancient color.
In the news today - ta da! "Egyptian Blue Found in Romanasque Altarpiece"
In the news today - ta da! "Egyptian Blue Found in Romanasque Altarpiece"
Sunday, May 23, 2010
The Color Blue Back in the News
First, a follow-up article of sorts, on the
use of ancient Egyptian blue in a 12th century CE altarpiece in a Barcelona
church:
Egyptian Blue Found in Romanesque Altarpiece
Egyptian Blue Found in Romanesque Altarpiece
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Is There a Common Link Between These Ancient Blue Hues?
I've no idea. I'm not suggesting that the
recipe for either blue travelled from Old World to New World or vice versa. I'm
wondering is there an underlying chemical conection or similarity in
the composition of the minerals in the clay and/or rocks that the Maya used to
produce their cobalt blue color and the minerals in the rocks the ancient
Egytians used to produce their cobalt blue color?
Mar 16, 2010
Archaeologists: Maya Blue pigment recipe moved around
An archaeologist reports the ingredients of "Maya Blue" pigment beloved by Central America's ancients may have been widely mined, not traded as previously suggested.
Mar 16, 2010
Archaeologists: Maya Blue pigment recipe moved around
An archaeologist reports the ingredients of "Maya Blue" pigment beloved by Central America's ancients may have been widely mined, not traded as previously suggested.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
The Latest on Egyptian Blue
Ancient
"Egyptian blue" pigment points to new telecommunications, security ink
technology
February 20, 2013
A bright blue pigment used 5,000 years ago is giving modern scientists clues toward the development of new nanomaterials with potential uses in state-of-the-art medical imaging devices, remote controls for televisions, security inks and other technology. That's the conclusion of an article on the pigment, Egyptian blue, in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
February 20, 2013
A bright blue pigment used 5,000 years ago is giving modern scientists clues toward the development of new nanomaterials with potential uses in state-of-the-art medical imaging devices, remote controls for televisions, security inks and other technology. That's the conclusion of an article on the pigment, Egyptian blue, in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Maya Blue Back in the News
WASHINGTON -- Physicists have created a dye that promises to last for a thousand
years. The secret to this extraordinary durability? Its formula is based on a
Mayan pigment, a brilliant blue color that survives to this day on the walls of
their ancient temples.
No comments:
Post a Comment