Vânia Muralha

Raman microscopy: a powerful tool in cultural heritage

Researcher in Conservation Science, March 2006 – Present, New University of Lisbon (FCT-UNL), Portugal:

Science conservation field, namely in artistic ceramics and glass;
Analyzing and characterization of important cultural artifacts, spanning a wide range of materials, from ceramics to paper;
Specialization in Raman microscopy, being a consultant in a funded research project: “Colour in medieval illuminated manuscripts: between beauty and meaning" (PTDC/EAT-EAT/104930/2008)”;
Principal researcher in a project concerning the provenance of Portuguese medieval artistic tiles;
Collaboration with the National Tile Museum, National Palace of Sintra and Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha.

Supervisor, Oct 2008 – Present, New University of Lisbon, Portugal:

Currently:

PhD student Susana Coentro in Conservation Science with the topic of Hispano-Moresque Tiles (azulejos);
Master student Sara Canaveira in Conservation and Restoration: “The chapel of St. John Baptist at the Church of S. Roque”.

Completed:

“The colour in modern Balinese Painting”in July 2009, student Maria do Rosário Marcelino;
“Mapping by Raman microscopy: Archaeological ceramics” in November 2010, student Ana Marijke Niessen;
“The pictorial materials in 17th c. Portuguese Azulejos”, in November 2010, student Susana Coentro;
“Chemical Characterization of Iron Age glass beads”, in December 2011, student Vivian Filardi;
“The blue in Portuguese historical azulejos”, in March 2012, student Marzia Fares.

Lecturer, Oct 2007 – Present, New University of Lisbon, Portugal:

Raman Microscopy (theoretical and practical modules) inModern analytical methods in art and archaeology, from the Master in Conservation and Restoration.
Project: research projects in conservation science, from the Master in Conservation and Restoration.
Glazes and analytical characterization, in Introduction to Science and Technology of Glass, from the Master in Glass Art and Science

Post Doctoral Researcher, University College of London, UK, Feb 2005 - Feb 2006:

Science conservation field;
Analyzing and characterization of important cultural artifacts;
Collaboration with art museums and institutes;
Important collaboration with The Vitoria and Albert Museum for the characterization of Islamic manuscripts using Raman Microscopy.

Assistant Lecturer, Oct 2001 – Mar 2002, University of Lisbon, Portugal:

Physical-Chemistry (Kinetic & Fluid techniques), Chemistry Degree.

Educational & Professional Qualifications

PhD in Chemistry - Jan 2001 – Jan 2005 - University of Lisbon, Portugal.

Post-Graduation (Chemistry applied to the Cultural Heritage) - Oct 2002 – Mar 2003 - University of Lisbon, Portugal.

Degree in Chemistry - Oct 1996 – Jul 2000 - University of Lisbon, Portugal.

Papers

S. Coentro, A. Lima, A. Silva, A. N. Pais, J. Mimoso, V. S.F. Muralha, "As cores na azulejaria Portuguesa do séc. XVII", Capítulo bilíngue no catálogo da exposição "A azulejaria Portuguesa do séc. XVII", Museu Nacional do Azulejo, 2012.
M.J.Melo, A. Miranda, C. Miguel, A. Lemos, A.Claro, R. Castro, V.S.F. Muralha, J.A.Lopes, A.P. Gonçalves, in The colour of medieval Portuguese illumination: an interdisciplinary approach, Revista de História da Arte online 1 (W), Lisboa, Portugal, 2011.
V. S. F. Muralha, C. Miguel, M. J. Melo, "Micro-Raman study of medieval Cistercian 12-13th century manuscripts: Santa Maria de Alcobaça, Portugal", manuscript accepted for publication in Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 2012.
M. Marcelino, V. S. F. Muralha, "Synthetic Organic Pigments in Contemporary Balinese Painting", manuscript accepted for publication in Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 2012.
V.S.F. Muralha, L. Burgio, R. J. H. Clark, "Raman spectroscopy analysis of pigments on 16-17th c. Persian manuscripts", Spectrochim. Acta A: Mol. Biomol. Spectrosc. 92 (2012), 21.
S. Coentro, A. Lima, A. Silva, A. N. Pais, J. Mimoso, V. S. F. Muralha, "Multi-analytical study of the pigments in 17th Century Portuguese Azulejos", Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 32 (2012), 37.
V. S. F. Muralha, Th. Rehren, R. J. H. Clark, "Characterization of an Iron Smelting Slag from Zimbabwe by Raman Microscopy and Electron Beam Analysis" Journal of Raman Spectroscopy, 42 (2011), 2077.
Miguel, C., Claro, A., Muralha, V. S. F., Melo, M. J. A study on red lead degradation in a medieval manuscript Lorvão Apocalypse (1189), J. Raman Spectrocopy, 2009, 40, 1966.
F. Lopes, A. Ruivo, V. Muralha, P. Duarte, I. Paiva, R. Trindade, A. Lima and A. P. de Matos, Uranium Glass in Museum Collections Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2008, 9, e64-e68.
Burgio, L.; Clark, R. J.H. Muralha, V.S.F; Stanley, T. Pigment analysis by Raman microscopy of the non-figurative illumination in 16th- to 18th-century Islamic manuscripts, J. Raman Spectroscopy, 2008, 39, 1482.
Muralha, V.S.F.; Rehren, T.; Clark, R.J.H. Characterization of an Iron Smelting Slag by Raman Microscopy and Electron Microprobe, manuscript in preparation, 2007.
Muralha, V. S. F; Borges dos Santos, R. M.; Martinho Simões, J. A. Energetic of Alkyl benzyl Radicals, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2004, 108, 936.
Borges dos Santos, R. M.; Muralha, V. S. F; Correia, C. F.; Guedes, R. C.; Costa Cabral, B. J.; Martinho Simões, J. A. S-H Bond Dissociation Enthalpies in Thiophenols: A Time-Resolved Photo acoustic Calorimetry and Quantum Chemistry Study, J. Phys. Chem. A. 2002, 106, 9883.
Borges dos Santos, R. M.; Muralha, V. S. F; Correia, C. F.; Martinho Simões, J. A. Solvation Enthalpies of Free Radicals: The O-O Bond Strength in Di-tert- butylperoxide, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 2670.