A Study on Mineralogical Characteristic and Accelerated Weather Test of Red and Yellow Color Natural Inorganic Pigments

Abstract

We evaluated mineralogical, physical property and accelerated weather resistance of cinnabar, realgar and orpiment used as cultural heritages and traditional paintings. JB and JS are sample names of cinnabar and JH and UH are sample names of orpiment and Realgar, respectively. As a result of mineralogical property evaluation, Jinsa was identified cinnabar (HgS) and there was no difference in chemical composition according to the grade. UH and JH were confirmed realgar (AsS) and orpiment (As2S3), respectively. The polarization characteristics such as shape and color indicate that pigments using our test were natural mineral pigment observed by polarization microscope. Especially, in the case of cinnabar, it is not easy to distinguish between natural mineral pigment and synthetic pigment. But the results of polarization microscope said that cinnabar is natural occurring mineral which have authentic mineral particle and unevenly fracture. As a result of thermal analysis, JH has a higher glass transition temperature and heat stability than UH. After accelerated weather test, cinnabar, realgar and orpiment were striking result in color change because of light degradation. Red *Corresponding author: +82-42-860-9348, E-mail: elisul@korea.kr