Paleo-inspiration

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Paleo-inspiration is a paradigm shift that leads scientists and designers to draw inspiration from ancient materials (from art, archaeology, natural history or paleo-environments) to develop new systems or processes, particularly with a view to sustainability.

Contents

Paleo-inspiration has already contributed to numerous applications in fields as varied as green chemistry, the development of new artist materials, composite materials, microelectronics, and construction materials. [1]

Semantics and definitions

While this type of application has been known for a long time, the concept itself was coined by teams from the French National Centre for Scientific Research, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Bern University of Applied Sciences from the term Bioinspiration. They published the concept in a seminal paper published online in 2017 by the journal Angewandte Chemie . [2]

Different names have been used to designate the corresponding systems, in particular: paleo-inspired, [2] antiqua-inspired, [1] antiquity-inspired [3] or archaeomimetic. [4] The use of these different names illustrates the extremely large time gap between the sources of inspiration, from millions of years ago when considering palaeontological systems and fossils, to much more recent archaeological or artistic material systems.

Properties sought

Distinct physico-chemical and mechanical properties are sought.

They may concern intrinsic properties of the paleo-inspired materials:

They can also concern processes:

The paleo-inspired approach

This approach combines several key stages.

Practical applications

Sustainable building materials

Emblematic examples include the microscopic study of the mineral phases present in Roman concretes to reproduce their durability in aggressive environments, particularly in the marine environment. [7]

Durable colouring materials

A notable discovery is the elucidation of the atomic structure of Maya blue, a composite pigment combining a clay with an organic dye, which has led teams to produce pigments of other colours by combining clays with distinct organic dyes, such as "Maya violet". [8]

Related Research Articles

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Hematite, also spelled as haematite, is a common iron oxide compound with the formula, Fe2O3 and is widely found in rocks and soils. Hematite crystals belong to the rhombohedral lattice system which is designated the alpha polymorph of Fe
2
O
3
. It has the same crystal structure as corundum (Al
2
O
3
) and ilmenite (FeTiO
3
). With this it forms a complete solid solution at temperatures above 950 °C (1,740 °F).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ink</span> Liquid or paste that contains pigments or dyes

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biomimetics</span> Imitation of biological systems for the solving of human problems

Biomimetics or biomimicry is the emulation of the models, systems, and elements of nature for the purpose of solving complex human problems. The terms "biomimetics" and "biomimicry" are derived from Ancient Greek: βίος (bios), life, and μίμησις (mīmēsis), imitation, from μιμεῖσθαι (mīmeisthai), to imitate, from μῖμος (mimos), actor. A closely related field is bionics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Titanium dioxide</span> Chemical compound

Titanium dioxide, also known as titanium(IV) oxide or titania, is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula TiO
2
. When used as a pigment, it is called titanium white, Pigment White 6 (PW6), or CI 77891. It is a white solid that is insoluble in water, although mineral forms can appear black. As a pigment, it has a wide range of applications, including paint, sunscreen, and food coloring. When used as a food coloring, it has E number E171. World production in 2014 exceeded 9 million tonnes. It has been estimated that titanium dioxide is used in two-thirds of all pigments, and pigments based on the oxide have been valued at a price of $13.2 billion.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zinc oxide</span> White powder insoluble in water

Zinc oxide is an inorganic compound with the formula ZnO. It is a white powder which is insoluble in water. ZnO is used as an additive in numerous materials and products including cosmetics, food supplements, rubbers, plastics, ceramics, glass, cement, lubricants, paints, sunscreens, ointments, adhesives, sealants, pigments, foods, batteries, ferrites, fire retardants, semi conductors, and first-aid tapes. Although it occurs naturally as the mineral zincite, most zinc oxide is produced synthetically.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Copper phthalocyanine</span> Synthetic blue pigment from the group of phthalocyanine dyes

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quinacridone</span> Organic compound used as a pigment

Quinacridone is an organic compound used as a pigment. Numerous derivatives constitute the quinacridone pigment family, which finds extensive use in industrial colorant applications such as robust outdoor paints, inkjet printer ink, tattoo inks, artists' watercolor paints, and color laser printer toner. As pigments, the quinacridones are insoluble. The development of this family of pigments supplanted the alizarin dyes.

A solvated electron is a free electron in a solution, in which it behaves like an anion. An electron's being solvated in a solution means it is bound by the solution. The notation for a solvated electron in formulas of chemical reactions is "e". Often, discussions of solvated electrons focus on their solutions in ammonia, which are stable for days, but solvated electrons also occur in water and many other solvents – in fact, in any solvent that mediates outer-sphere electron transfer. The solvated electron is responsible for a great deal of radiation chemistry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Priverno</span> Comune in Lazio, Italy

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maya blue</span> Azure blue pigment made in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica

Maya blue is a unique bright azure blue pigment manufactured by cultures of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, such as the Mayans and Aztecs, during a period extending from approximately the 8th century to around 1860 CE. It is found in mural paintings on architectural buildings, ceramic pieces, sculptures, codices, and even in post-conquest Indochristian artworks and mural decorations.

Biotextiles are specialized materials engineered from natural or synthetic fibers. These textiles are designed to interact with biological systems, offering properties such as biocompatibility, porosity, and mechanical strength or are designed to be environmentally friendly for typical household applications. There are several uses for biotextiles since they are a broad category. The most common uses are for medical or household use. However, this term may also refer to textiles constructed from biological waste product. These biotextiles are not typically used for industrial purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman concrete</span> Building material used in ancient Rome

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">YInMn Blue</span> Inorganic blue pigment

YInMn Blue, also known as Oregon Blue or Mas Blue, is an inorganic blue pigment that was discovered by Mas Subramanian and his (then) graduate student, Andrew Smith, at Oregon State University in 2009. The pigment is noteworthy for its vibrant, near-perfect blue color and unusually high NIR reflectance. The chemical compound has a unique crystal structure in which trivalent manganese ions in the trigonal bipyramidal coordination are responsible for the observed intense blue color. Since the initial discovery, the fundamental principles of colour science have been explored extensively by the Subramanian research team at Oregon State University, resulting in a wide range of rationally designed novel green, purple, and orange pigments, all through intentional addition of a chromophore in the trigonal bipyramidal coordination environment.

Admir Masic is a scientist, currently an Associate Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research involves characterization of complex biomineralized and archaeological structural materials with the objective of inspiring the design of more sustainable and durable building materials.

Bioinspiration is the development of novel materials, devices, and structures inspired by solutions found in biological evolution and refinement which has occurred over millions of years. The goal is to improve modeling and simulation of the biological system to attain a better understanding of nature's critical structural features, such as a wing, for use in future bioinspired designs. Bioinspiration differs from biomimicry in that the latter aims to precisely replicate the designs of biological materials. Bioinspired research is a return to the classical origins of science: it is a field based on observing the remarkable functions that characterize living organisms and trying to abstract and imitate those functions.

Light harvesting materials harvest solar energy that can then be converted into chemical energy through photochemical processes. Synthetic light harvesting materials are inspired by photosynthetic biological systems such as light harvesting complexes and pigments that are present in plants and some photosynthetic bacteria. The dynamic and efficient antenna complexes that are present in photosynthetic organisms has inspired the design of synthetic light harvesting materials that mimic light harvesting machinery in biological systems. Examples of synthetic light harvesting materials are dendrimers, porphyrin arrays and assemblies, organic gels, biosynthetic and synthetic peptides, organic-inorganic hybrid materials, and semiconductor materials. Synthetic and biosynthetic light harvesting materials have applications in photovoltaics, photocatalysis, and photopolymerization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts</span>

The Center for Scientific Studies in the Arts (NU-ACCESS) is a collaborative initiative between Northwestern University and the Art Institute of Chicago. The institute is dedicated to the convergence diverse scientific disciplines applied to the realm of art conservation and study. Established in 2004 and supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the center employs scientific and technical methods to investigate and preserve artistic and cultural artifacts, helping to uncover details about their creation, history, and conservation.

References

  1. 1 2 "A new perspective on ancient materials inspires future innovation". MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 20 November 2017. Retrieved 2022-02-08.
  2. 1 2 Bertrand, Loïc; Gervais, Claire; Masic, Admir; Robbiola, Luc (2018). "Paleo-inspired Systems: Durability, Sustainability, and Remarkable Properties". Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 57 (25): 7288–7295. doi:10.1002/anie.201709303. ISSN   1521-3773. PMID   29154403. S2CID   205405638.
  3. Faber, Katherine T.; Casadio, Francesca; Masic, Admir; Robbiola, Luc; Walton, Marc (2021-07-26). "Looking Back, Looking Forward: Materials Science in Art, Archaeology, and Art Conservation". Annual Review of Materials Research. 51 (1): 435–460. Bibcode:2021AnRMS..51..435F. doi:10.1146/annurev-matsci-080819-013103. ISSN   1531-7331. S2CID   235522737.
  4. Powell, Devin; Service, Inside Science News. "Ancient Mayans Inspire Modern Fade Proof Dye". phys.org. Retrieved 2022-02-14.
  5. Sciau, Philippe; Goudeau, Philippe (25 May 2015). "Ceramics in art and archaeology: a review of the materials science aspects". The European Physical Journal B. 88 (5): 132. Bibcode:2015EPJB...88..132S. doi:10.1140/epjb/e2015-60253-8. ISSN   1434-6028. S2CID   18014681.
  6. Bertrand, Loïc; Thoury, Mathieu; Gueriau, Pierre; Anheim, Étienne; Cohen, Serge (2021-07-06). "Deciphering the Chemistry of Cultural Heritage: Targeting Material Properties by Coupling Spectral Imaging with Image Analysis". Accounts of Chemical Research. 54 (13): 2823–2832. doi:10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00063. ISSN   0001-4842. PMID   34143613. S2CID   235481574.
  7. Preuss, Paul (2013-06-04). "Roman Seawater Concrete Holds the Secret to Cutting Carbon Emissions". News Center. Retrieved 2022-02-14.
  8. Zhang, Yujie; Zhang, Junping; Wang, Aiqin (2015). "Facile preparation of stable palygorskite/methyl violet@SiO2 "Maya Violet" pigment". Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. 457: 254–263. Bibcode:2015JCIS..457..254Z. doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2015.07.030. PMID   26196708.