Diffuse reflection FTIR spectral database of dyes and pigments

24 pigments commonly used in art have been characterized by diffuse reflection infrared spectroscopy (DR). All of the compounds have also been characterized by means of infrared absorption spectroscopy to demonstrate the reliability of the DR technique. This is the first record of the use of this technique as an analytical tool in conservation science, and the results appear to be promising for the identification of unknown pigments used on historical and artwork artifacts. Although the DR technique used here is not nondestructive, it can still be usefully applied to the analysis of artwork since it requires only a very small quantity of sample for analysis.