Researchers at Washington State University (US) have taken a step forward in archeology and conservation science by recreating the oldest synthetic pigment in the world: Egyptian blue.
In collaboration with the Carnegie Natural History Museum and the Smithsonian Conservation Institute, the researchers experienced with various raw materials and heating times to get 12 color recipes, which appears in several shades.
The ancient Egyptians and even the Romans used the color as a substitute for more expensive materials, such as Lapis Lazuli and Turquoise, to paint wood, stone and Papura-Mîché. However, its complexity is the one that has aroused an interest in recent years, notes Noi.md with reference to.
Egyptian blue has proven to have optical, magnetic and biological properties. It emits light in the close infrared spectrum, invisible to the human eye, which makes it promising for applications such as fingerprint detection and ink.
It also has a chemistry similar to that of high temperature overconductors.
