Page 160 - 00. Complete Version - Progress Report IPEN 2014-2016

160 Nuclear Science and Technology | Progress Report

nique and one of the obtained tomographies possible, under a macroscopic point of view,
is shown in figure 11 (right). As it can be seen, helping in the evaluation and visualization of
the bone has 38.8mm in length and, though the ceramic - consolidator boundaries, chang-
not shown in the figure, the bone is embedded es in homogeneity of impregnation and depth
at 47.25mm from its surface. According to an reached by Paraloid® B-72. In figure 5a, it is
expert from the University of Brasília, this bone possible to verify regions with (brighter) and
is part of a finger of a crocodylomorpha, from without (darker) Paraloid® B-72; a cut along the
the cretaceous age (aprox. 70Ma) see figure 12. XY viewing plane shows some inhomogeneity
in Paraloid® B-72 impregnation; in figure 5c,
a deeper cut along the same plane shows ho-
mogeneous impregnation regions with pen-
etration depth of about 1.5mm.

Fig. 12. Crocodylomorpha.

CERAMIC PRESERVATION STUDIES USING PA-
RALOID B-72. The Paraloid® B-72 is one of the
Fig. 14. 3D images showing the distribution of Pa-
most commonly consolidator used for ceram- raloid® B-72 into the ceramic vessel.
ic restoration. A contemporary ceramic vessel
was partially brushed with Paraloid® B-72 as The vessel was fragmented and as showed
shown in figure 13, and it was evaluated by in figure 15, the impregnation with Paraloid®
the NT technique to verify the impregnation B-72, more specifically the boundary regions
efficacy, the penetration depth, failures and with the ceramic body and its depth, are not
homogeneity of Paraloid® B-72 distribution visible to the naked eye.
into the ceramic body.

Fig.13. Application of Paraloid® B-72 in a ceramic vessel. Fig.15. Vessel fragmented. The Paraloid®
B-72 is not visible to the naked eye.
Figure 14 shows some selected 3D (three di- These presented results demonstrate the fea-
mensional) images through which the visual- sibility of the neutron tomography technique
ization of the Paraloid® B-72 impregnation is to support the archaeological sciences, and

Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares