Paleo‐inspired Systems: Durability, Sustainability, and Remarkable Properties

Abstract

The process of mimicking properties of specific interest (such as mechanical, optical, and structural) observed in ancient and historical systems is designated here as paleo-inspiration. For instance, recovery in archaeology or paleontology identifies materials that are a posteriori extremely resilient to alteration. All the more encouraging is that many ancient materials were synthesized in soft chemical ways, often using low-energy resources and sometimes rudimentary manufacturing equipment. In this Minireview, ancient systems are presented as a source of inspiration for innovative material design in the Anthropocene.

Supramolecular Organization in Confined Nanospaces

“…In this regard, multitechnique studies of the organization of guest species in natural zeolites, clathrate hydrates and other minerals at different pressure/temperature conditions could greatly enhance the fundamental understanding of the interactions that govern, for example, mechanical stability. In this sense, “paleo‐inspiration“ – is gaining increasing momentum in the scientific community. The idea is to transfer to modern materials the environmental resilience and other interesting properties of ancient materials, like Roman cements or the Blue Maya pigment, typically based on minerals.…”

X-ray irradiation effects on Egyptian blue and green pigments

“…This observation could have implications for modern uses of this mineral phase in contexts where it is subjected to high dose rates or to the accumulation of doses over long periods, in a palaeo-inspired approach. 54 Different types of E ′ centers are detected in green samples at much lower doses than in blue samples (from 0.001 MGy). As Egyptian green samples contain an amorphous silicate phase entrapping respectively quartz and wollastonite crystals for EG_a3 (ref.…”

How Science Can Contribute to the Remedial Conservation of Cultural Heritage

“…According to these criteria, renewable materials derived from nature are being progressively introduced in restoration; examples include chitosan, fibroin, nanocellulose, and castor oil [22,51–53] . Inspiration for the formulation of new solutions might also come from our ancient past: archaeological and paleontological materials that have survived to recent times are a magnificent example of a posteriori extreme resilience to alteration; moreover, many such materials were synthesized in soft chemical ways with low energy resources [54] . Mimicking either these processes or natural biosynthesis with current awareness of materials science would represent an ideal case of a circular economy and resilience in art conservation.…”