Organic Material
In this specific field, the wide diversity of existing materials adds to the complexity of certain organic molecules. These materials are generally related to wood, skin, bacteria, plants, bones, solvents, etc.. Only organic materials related to the world of art are treated at CARAA (wood, ivory, bone, varnishes, binders, dyes, polymers and plastics, etc.).
Understanding organic material
This goes by understanding how these material deteriorate. The very fragile structure of organic materials is highly degradable depending on its conservation environment. Degradation reactions can result in a breakdown of the molecules, but it may also consist in a change of color or a polymerization of the original molecules (e.g. the tannins).
A benefit for restoration and conservation
The exact identification of a type of varnish, wax or coating will affect the techniques used during restoration. The wide range of analytical instruments used at CARAA allows to use the most suitable technique according to the organic material studied (ex: CPG, HPLC, Py-GC-MS, FTIR, …)*.
Dating possibilities
For some kinds of organic materials, C14 dating technique is possible. The historical time frame concerned, the available amount of material, the conservation status and the exact composition of the material are essential criteria to evaluate prior to dating.
* GC: gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy, HPLC: High performance liquid chromatography , Py-GC-MS: Pyrolysis and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, FTIR: Infrared Spectroscopy Fourier Transform
