In our lightfastness testing of metal-complex solvent dye solutions, we see some samples that fade a lot and are very easy to qualify as “fast-fading” dyes. (See our previous post for more information on metal-complex solvent dyes and why we’re using them; as well as previous posts that detail our sample set and sample preparation)…
Fur-Mounting System We next needed a method of mounting the deer and fox furs so that they could be dyed and exposed in the test chamber. [See Part 1 of this series for an explanation on why we chose deer and fox furs.] Acquiring a series of meaningful color measurements from dyed fur demands a sample…
The first phase of our lightfastness testing aimed to establish the lightfastness of the Orasol® and similar Sorasolve metal-complex solvent dyes in isolation‒ that is, in the absence of a binder, and without a chemically active substrate that could potentially influence the behavior of the dyes or interfere with the measurement of color change. (See…
With our sample set chosen, our substrate selected, and our sample mounts determined, we next needed to devise a process for applying the dyes. Since the ultimate treatment would likely involve airbrushing, we chose to spray deposit the dyes onto the quartz plates. For this we had to consider and anticipate the different requirements and…
As earlier posts have mentioned, the first phase of our research aims to establish the lightfastness of the Orasol® and similar Sorasolve metal-complex solvent dyes in isolation‒ that is, in the absence of a binder, and without a chemically active substrate that could potentially influence the behavior of the dyes or interfere with the measurement…
The initial sample set undergoing accelerated aging in our Q-SUN chamber is expected to be the largest. It includes all of the Orasol dyes that we have been able to acquire to date from the manufacturer BASF and retail supplier Kremer Pigments, as well as Sorasolve dyes available from Museum Services Corporation (MSC). This post…
Q-Lab Corporation, manufacturer of the Q-SUN Xe-3 accelerated aging chamber, promotes this machine as “the simplest, most reliable, and easiest to use full-sized xenon arc chamber available.” Before purchasing ours in February 2014, we began making upgrades to water and electrical systems in our lab to meet its basic requirements. Perhaps naively, we had planned…
The research team had a good sense of the relative lightfastness of the Orasol dyes as a result of the renovation research, but how long could we expect the dyes to last inside an actual diorama environment? How could we better understand the ease of removal of the dyes from the animal hairs – is…
In the last few posts, we discussed how the renovation of the diorama hall at the American Museum of Natural History led to the creation of our current grant project. We were confident in the testing we did prior to the renovation, and successfully recolored many of the faded taxidermy specimens in the hall –…
In Their True Colors 