Evaluation of an IR multi-methods protocol for the study of Cultural Heritage

The PNRR project “CHANGES” was conceived to establish a multi-technological network in the Cultural Heritage, with a particular attention to the transdisciplinary. A key section of this project, the Spoke 5, focuses on the development of new scientific methods and approaches to deepen the study of cultural artefact materials and their historical context. Within this framework, a new protocol for the analysis and data interpretation of Cultural Heritage studies has been developed. To validate and refine this protocol, several natural and artificial geomaterial samples were chosen and treated by both natural and artificial ageing. Samples of marble, travertine, wakestone, hydraulic and aerial mortars were exposed to open environment and analysed at intervals of three months, in order to evaluate variation in their infrared signal responses. In particular, the samples were studied applying three different Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy methods: attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR), μTransmission (μ-FTIR) and external reflection (ER-FTIR) were employed for this purpose (Brunello et al., 2019). The first two methods are deemed micro-invasive, whereas the third is entirely non-invasive, which is a fundamental feature for the study of cultural heritage. Subsequently, a multivariate statistical elaboration of the data collected from the samples with different analytical methods was applied, aiming to evaluate the efficacy of the protocol also to define the origin of raw materials and production techniques. In conclusion, the project represents a significant step forward for the preservation of Cultural Heritage. Pioneering new scientific methods and the development of a novel protocol for analysing ancient geomaterials will marks a crucial advancement in the field with minimum or no damage to the finds. The ongoing testing and refinement of the protocol here described will provide further insights into material behaviour over time, ensuring the preservation and understanding of our cultural heritage for future generations. Acknowledgements: This project was funded by PNRR PE05 – CHANGES_SPOKE-5-DST; CUP B53C22003780006 Medeghini. Refrerence: Brunello V. et al (2019) - Non-invasive FTIR study of mortar model samples: comparison among innovative and traditional techniques. Eur. Phys. J. Plus, 134, https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2019-12667-1.