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Title: Materials Engineering of Violin Soundboards by Stradivari and Guarneri

Journal Article · · Angewandte Chemie
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [5];  [7];  [8];  [3];  [3];  [9];  [10];  [11];  [12];  [13];  [2];  [3];  [14] more »;  [14];  [15];  [15];  [3];  [13];  [11];  [14];  [16];  [3]; ORCiD logo [3] « less
  1. Department of Chemistry National Chung Hsing University Taichung Taiwan
  2. Department of Optics and Photonics National Central University Taoyuan Taiwan
  3. Department of Chemistry National Taiwan University 1 Roosevelt Road Section 4 Taipei 106 Taiwan
  4. Hilgertshausen-Tandern Germany
  5. Swiss Light Source Paul Scherrer Institut Villigen Switzerland
  6. Physical Sciences Division Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland USA
  7. Instrumentation Center National Taiwan University Taipei Taiwan
  8. Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics Texas A&,M University College Station USA
  9. Chimei Museum Tainan Taiwan
  10. Argonne National Laboratory Lemont IL USA
  11. Institute of Chemistry Academia Sinica Taipei Taiwan
  12. School of Cultural Industry and Tourism Xiamen University of Technology Xiamen Fujian China
  13. Department of Chemistry Soochow University Taipei Taiwan
  14. Department of Chemistry Fu-Jen Catholic University New Taipei City Taiwan
  15. Department of Forestry and Natural Resources National Ilan University I-Lan Taiwan
  16. Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences National Tsing-Hua University Hsinchu Taiwan
+ Show Author Affiliations

Abstract We investigated the material properties of Cremonese soundboards using a wide range of spectroscopic, microscopic, and chemical techniques. We found similar types of spruce in Cremonese soundboards as in modern instruments, but Cremonese spruces exhibit unnatural elemental compositions and oxidation patterns that suggest artificial manipulation. Combining analytical data and historical information, we may deduce the minerals being added and their potential functions—borax and metal sulfates for fungal suppression, table salt for moisture control, alum for molecular crosslinking, and potash or quicklime for alkaline treatment. The overall purpose may have been wood preservation or acoustic tuning. Hemicellulose fragmentation and altered cellulose nanostructures are observed in heavily treated Stradivari specimens, which show diminished second‐harmonic generation signals. Guarneri's practice of crosslinking wood fibers via aluminum coordination may also affect mechanical and acoustic properties. Our data suggest that old masters undertook materials engineering experiments to produce soundboards with unique properties.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1798917
Journal Information:
Angewandte Chemie, Journal Name: Angewandte Chemie Journal Issue: 35 Vol. 133; ISSN 0044-8249
Publisher:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
Germany
Language:
English

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