Thermal and sound insulation performance assessment of vacuum insulated composite insulation panels for building façades

Composite insulation panels (CIPs) currently used in building façades require significant design changes e.g. increased thickness to realise higher thermal and sound insulation performance. This study deals with the manufacturing and characterisation of smart façade panels for achieving higher thermal and sound insulation dual characteristics in one panel without a significant increase in thickness. Prototype panels were manufactured using vacuum insulation core (VIC) combined with mass loaded vinyl (MLV) layers. Thermal transmission and weighted sound reduction index (R_w) was experimentally measured in the laboratory. The results were compared with a control panel made with extruded polystyrene (XPS) core. The VIC panel showed a 51% improvement in the centre of panel U-value compared to control XPS core panel of the same thickness. Integrating the two MLV layers inside of aluminium skins either side of the vacuum insulation panel led to 3dB improvement in R_w from 32 dB to 35 dB which could be further improved by optimising the MLV layer positioning in the CIP and better bonding between the MLV and the vacuum insulation panel. This shows that vacuum insulation core panels combined with MLV offers a solution to achieve smart building façade with excellent thermal and sound insulation performance

Identification of pigments on a 16th century Persian manuscript by micro-Raman spectroscopy

Micro-Raman spectroscopy was used in combination with other analytical techniques for the in situ study of a Persian Herati lacquered manuscript dated 1530 AD. The text is calligraphied on sized and polished folios, framed in papers tinted in various shades and sparkled with gold leaf, according to a specific gilding technique. The palette of pigments used for the illumination, the coloured frames and the cover was established. Lead white, amorphous carbon, lapis lazuli, red lead and cinnabar were unambiguously identified. The green bottom layer of the lacquer decoration appeared to be composed of mixed orpiment and lapis lazuli. Another green pigment present in the illumination could not be identified although a Raman spectrum was recorded. In order to determine the composition of the different elements of the cover and regions realised with the Marqash technique, complementary analysis was carried out, using x-ray photoelectron and x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The results obtained by these analyses can be put in parallel with the Arabic treatises describing the realization of these manuscripts from Persian workshops. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd

Partial trisomy 3p in two siblings: clinical and pathological findings.

Two siblings affected with partial trisomy 3p resulting from a maternal balanced translocation 46,XXt(3;10) (p21;q26) are reported. The clinical features of this syndrome are reviewed. The necropsy findings of the two siblings are discussed.Case ReportsJournal Articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Characterization of outdoor bronze monument patinas: the potentialities of near-infrared spectroscopic analysis

The corrosion products usually found on outdoor bronzes are generated by the interaction between the metal alloy and the atmospheric pollutants. To protect the external surface of bronzes, different organic materials (natural or synthetic) can be applied, creating over time a patina consisting of a complex mixture of inorganic and organic degraded components. The correct chemical characterization of patina constituents is fundamental to define the state of conservation of a metal artwork and address proper restoration actions. In this paper, we evaluated the potentialities of near-infrared (NIR) reflectance microscopy (4000–7500 cm−1) as complementary method to mid-infrared (MIR) analyses for the characterization of bronze patinas. Although NIR spectroscopy has been already used in the field of heritage science, its application for the characterization of bronze patinas is almost unexplored. In this paper, several corrosion products usually found on the surface of outdoor bronze sculptures were synthesized, characterized, and submitted to the NIR-MIR total reflection analysis to build up a reference spectral database. We devoted particular attention to the NIR features of copper hydroxychlorides, such as atacamite and paratacamite, which have not been studied in detail up to now. A selection of organic-based formulations, commonly used by restorers to protect the bronze surface against the outdoor aggressive environment, were also considered as references. Successively, NIR-MIR reflectance microscopy was successfully employed for the analysis of patina micro-samples collected from the bronze statues of the Neptune Fountain (sixteenth century) located in Bologna. The obtained results demonstrate the ability of NIR spectroscopy to identify organic and inorganic patina constituents, even in mixtures. In addition, the study can be considered as a proof of concept for the possible future application of the technique for in situ diagnostic campaigns on bronze sculptures

Darkening of lead and iron based pigments on late – Gothic Italian wall paintings: ED-XRF, µ-Raman and PXRD analyses for diagnosis:presence of β-PbO2 (Plattnerite) and α-PbO2

This work reports the results of an extensive study carried out on the wall paintings preserved inside the Saint Stephen's chapel in Montani (Val Venosta, Bozen, Italy), by means of μ-Raman spectroscopy, portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry, and powder X-ray diffraction, in order to characterize materials and their alteration products that cause the blackening of paintings. In situ XRF analysis allowed identifying the areas of interest where the blackening appeared. The complementary analytical techniques allowed reconstructing a chromatic palette used by the artists that includes expensive pigments, such as lapis lazuli and cinnabar, indicating a wealthy client. Raman spectra at very low power recorded on blackened degraded samples showed the presence of a mixture of the two polymorphs of lead (IV) dioxide, plattnerite (β-PbO2), and scrutinyte (α-PbO2), as degradation products of leadbased pigments. On these samples, no evidence of white lead was found, although a white lead conversion treatment had been applied on the paintings. The degradation of red lead (Pb3O4) into a mixture of plattnerite, scrutinyte, and anglesite (PbSO4) was demonstrated in some darkened samples. Furthermore, the degradation of haematite (Fe2O3) with the formation of magnetite (Fe3O4) and coquimbite (Fe2(SO4)39H2O) was also identified as responsible for the blackening of the paintings. The influence of original materials and environmental and anthropogenic factors such as the valley's orography and the presence of contaminating agents (SOx) is discussed to explain the decay phenomena