The Demineralisation of Animal Bones
The ability to manipulate, work and bend bones is rooted in ancient cultures and has constantly evolved over time. A prime example of this is the Inuit use of fish bones for drawings and letters.
The ability to bend bones of larger animals, with a very complex bone structure is also possible, but isn´t easily to accomplish. After these large bones are manipulated and dryed these manipulated large bones, allow one to further manipulate and work other materials.
Over a two year period, in cooperation with Inorganic Chemistry Department of the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg Institute for Chemistry several experiments were executed to extract particular articles of animal bones and to better understand their composition. The research in the lab was supervised by Dr. Filipe Natalio.
In order to bend or work the bones one has to loosen and work the collagen and the Calcium Sulfates first. This can only occur between the perfect balance of when the Calcium is dissolved over a specific time period. If the Calcium is too rapidly dissolved, the bone can become unworkable because it because too solid or too fluid.
By understanding the basic principles and composition of animal bones, a new world of possibilities stemming from the creation of tools from animals bones or how animal bones can be manipulated into works of art exists.
