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Recreating Roman funeral masks
During the Roman Empire, wealthy families cre-
ated masks of males that were displayed in their
houses after death and also used in funeral cere-
monies. The masks, called imagines maiorum, were
created out of beeswax, according to written sources.
While none of these masks have survived, there are
three modern-day wax masks that bear an uncanny
resemblance to doctoral students in the Classics De-
partment at Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. In a sem-
inar on Greek and Roman portraiture taught by
associate professor Annetta Alexandridis, the students
wanted to create their own masks as part of a larger
research project on wax as a material in ancient Rome.
“We found that beeswax tends to be more brittle,
so we used foundry wax,” says graduate student Katie
Jarriel. They first made silicone molds of each person’s
face, with the help of a restoration expert. A plaster
casting was applied on top to help the silicone hold its shape. Once the silicone dried, wax was poured in the
mold. After the casts were completed, students considered how they would have been worn by the actors and
observed how quickly they started to deteriorate. In Roman times, they would have been duplicated and re-
paired if they were damaged. “So if a nose fell off, they would have built a new one out of wax,” explains Alexan-
dridis. For more information: Annetta Alexandridis, 607/254-7263, , .
Fiber reinforced polymer bridges
Composite Advantage, Dayton, Ohio, under its FiberSPAN brand,
launched a range of new fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) trail bridge and
bridge deck products. The new line combines high performance with aes-
thetics and is maintenance-free, according to company sources. Engineered
for superior strength, the bridge and deck products resist corrosion from
water and chemicals, are light weight for easy installation, and provide a non-
slip surface. The composite trail bridges and bridge decks are available in gray
or beige but also can be fabricated in custom colors. They are designed to
meet the industry standard of 90 lb/ft2 pedestrian live load and can withstand
a 15,000-lb vehicle load. Railing options include fiberglass, stainless steel, and
steel. .
Invisible coating protects Finnish coins
The Mint of Finland chose Beneq’s patented nSILVER invisible protective
coating to prevent tarnishing of its special numbered series of EUR 20 coins.
The coins honor Tove Jansson, the Finnish creator of the Moomin books for
children. The protective coating is based on Beneq’s atomic layer deposition
(ALD) technology and prevents silver from tarnishing by protecting it from
airborne sulfur and other chemicals or liquids, which react with the surface.
The coating is completely transparent on silver, enhances surface reflectivity,
and gives the coated article a brighter and glossier appearance. nSILVER coats the
silver with a fully transparent, conformal, and pinhole-free thin film consisting of
ceramic material. The thin film layers bond with the silver layer and provide a
flawless protective barrier. nSILVER is applied using the ALD coating method,
which enables thin films to grow on articles of any shape. The coating is extremely
uniform with flawless quality, due to the way small ALD vapor molecules pene-
trate even the narrowest grooves. .
ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES • APRIL 2014 6
interest
of material
Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite
material products such as this trail bridge are
suitable for structurally demanding applications
and corrosive environments.
From left, Annetta Alexandridis, Carrie Fulton, Jennifer
Carrington, and Katie Jarriel display their wax masks.
Courtesy of Lindsay France/University Photography.
Mint of Finland’s
commemorative Tove
Jansson (EUR 20) coin is
protected by Beneq nSILVER
anti-tarnishing treatment.
Courtesy of Mint of Finland.