Binders

This paper attempts investigation of the use of the four synthesized polyurethane acrylate binders in the
formulation of printing inks to be used for printing transfer paper. The printed transfer papers were used
to transfer print polyester fabrics and binder fixation in one step in the process of heat transfer printing.
The effect of inclusion of these new binders in the print paste on the ease of dyestuff release from the
transfer paper, type of paper, type of binder, type of dye and the possibility of reusing the transfer paper
more than once to give several prints were studied. The fastness properties of the polyester prints were
also studied

Cellulose pulp, mainly utilized as a support for cleaning stone material, in this study, is proposed as a filler for wooden supports. In the last 10 years, pulp has been used in many restoration works carried out in the laboratory of the Diocesan Museum (MDP) in Palermo, including both wooden sculptures and panel paintings. These artworks, exhibited in the MDP, are constantly monitored in order to evaluate the effectiveness of cellulose pulp as a filler, assessing its durability and bio-receptivity. In particular, struc-tural characteristics, drying time, shrinkage, loss in weight, affinity to the pigments, etc., were simultaneously evaluated. Tests were also carried out on artificially aged cellulose pulp samples, in order to appraise if cellulose could be a source of nourish-ment for microbial growth.

It is now accepted that new binders, such as alkali-activated binders, are needed to replace portland cement for enhanced environmental and durability performance. Alkali-activated binders have emerged as an alternative to (ordinary portland cement ) OPC binders, which seem to have superior durability and environmental impact.This paper reports results of a research project on the development of an alkali-activated binders using mineral waste mud from the Panasqueira tungsten mine in Portugal. Results show that with proper mix design, this new binder presents exceptionally high compressive strength even at early ages. Results also indicate, better abrasion and acid resistance compared with concrete using OPC. Leaching tests show that the new binder is considered an inert material which indicates that it could be used as a building material.

The current manuscript discusses the durability of historical mortars. The majority of the descriptions about those mortars are mainly related to the Roman period and refer the mixture of calcium hydroxide and pozzolans (volcanic ashes and calcined clays) as the right recipe to get strong and durable binders. Those descriptions lack explanations about the reaction mechanisms that could explain the durability of those mortars, not can they explain the presence of analcime zeolites that several researchers found in historical mortars. The present manuscript discusses the durability of historical mortars through the alkali-activation theory, according to which geopolymeric compounds and calcium silicate hydrates are responsible for the durability of historical mortars.

The application of biomass to generate energy has been highly studied as an alternative to fossil fuels. In Brazil, there is a large production of orange juice, and their solid waste (bagasse) has as its main destination the production of food for ruminants. Therefore, there is an interest among the industries to transformed this waste into a by-product with higher benefit. In this way, this work has as main objectives, the use of a new type biomass to produce " green " charcoal and the application of three different types of binders (industrial cornstarch, pectin with high degree of esterification and pectin with low degree of esterification) using three different proportions (5, 10 and 15%) and two types of mixtures in way to verify which briquette has the lowest friability index a better compression resistance. To determine the friability index, the tumbling method was applied. The compressive strength of the briquettes was also determined. The binder that brought better characteristics to the charcoal briquettes, and therefore would be chosen for a production line is the industrial cornstarch. For this binder, the briquettes showed higher mechanical strength when applied the second mixing method. In this case, the briquette with a composition of 10 % of industrial cornstarch, presented characteristics as non-friable and withstand a pressure of 4.093 MPa in the compression tests. The choice of this binder is also because it is cheaper among the three tested ones.

Centre for Isotopic Research on Cultural and Environmental heritage (CIRCE) has, recently, obtained some
promising results in testing the feasibility of mortar radiocarbon dating by means of an ad hoc developed
purification procedure (CryoSoniC: Cryobraking, Sonication, Centrifugation) applied to a series of laboratory
mortars. Observed results encouraged CryoSoniC accuracy evaluation on genuine mortars sampled
from archeological sites of known or independently constrained age (i.e., other 14C dates on different
materials).
In this study, some 14C measurements performed on genuine mortars will be discussed and compared
with independently estimated (i.e., radiocarbon/archaeometrical dating) absolute chronologies of
two Spanish sites. Observed results confirm the agreement of the CryoSoniC mortar dates with the
archaeological expectations for both examined cases.
Several authors reported the possibility of obtaining accurate radiocarbon dates of mortar matrices by
analyzing lime lumps: binder-related particles of different sizes exclusively composed of calcium carbonate.
In this paper, preliminary data for the absolute chronology reconstruction of the Basilica of the cemetery
complex of Ponte della Lama (Canosa di Puglia, Italy) based on lime lumps will also be discussed.
Dating accuracy will be quantified by comparing 14C data on mortar lime lumps from a funerary inscription
of known age found near the Basilica, in the same study site. For this site, a comparison between
absolute chronologies performed by bulk and CryoSoniC purified lime lumps, and charcoal incased in
mortars (when found) will also be discussed.
Observed results for this site provide evidence of how bulk lime lump dating may introduce systematic
overestimations of the analyzed sample while CryoSoniC purification allows accurate dating.