Amber is a fossilized natural resin found in specific areas of the world; its geographical origin is associated to a characteristic color. Amber all over the world share basic characteristics due to a common polymeric matrix; however, its color is associated to the environment where it was formed. In this work, based on a compositional analysis, it is proposed that yellow color of Mexican amber is originated from the sulfur physical and chemical interaction within its polymeric matrix. The effect of sulfur present in yellow Mexican amber is studied by employing X-ray photoelectron and UV-Vis spectroscopies. Results show that sulfur is incorporated inside the polymer matrix with two different chemical environments; one related with sulfur-carbon bonds and the other with sulfur-sulfur bonds. The optical transmission spectrum simulated considering amber as a composite material reproduce the scattering contribution observed experimentally.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.