Advanced search
Publication Cover
Studies in Conservation Volume 65, 2020 - Issue 1
Submit an article Journal homepage
682
Views
15
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Original Research or Treatment Papers

Characterization of Zinc Carboxylates in an Oil Paint Test Panel

Christine RomanoMuseum Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Suitland, MD, USA
,
Thomas LamMuseum Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Suitland, MD, USA
,
G. Asher NewsomeMuseum Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Suitland, MD, USAORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1683-2197
ORCID Icon,
Joshua A. TaillonMaterial Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USAORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5185-4503
ORCID Icon,
Nicole LittleMuseum Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Suitland, MD, USAORCID Iconhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9533-3187
ORCID Icon &
Jia-sun TsangMuseum Conservation Institute, Smithsonian Institution, Suitland, MD, USACorrespondence[email protected]
Pages 14-27 | Received 29 Jan 2019, Accepted 07 Sep 2019, Published online: 25 Sep 2019
 
Sample our Museum and Heritage Studies journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days

ABSTRACT

Zinc (carboxylate) soaps, formed by reactions between zinc oxide (ZnO) and fatty acids in a drying oil, are known to cause deterioration in the paint layers of modern and contemporary oil paintings. This study investigates zinc carboxylates that developed in an oil painting test panel designed to mimic the aging and degradation encountered in actual works of art. Following accelerated and natural aging, protrusions were noted on the surface of the test panel. A large protrusion with erupted gel features was extracted from the test panel, mounted in top view, and then cut to reveal the sample's cross section. The gel features, which resulted from the unreacted oil binder's separation from the paint matrix, facilitated zinc carboxylate formation. Using reflectance µ-FTIR and SEM-EDX analysis, the morphologies and spatial distributions of zinc carboxylates within the gel regions of the protrusion were studied. A concentration gradient of zinc within the gel material was observed in the cross-sectional view, indicating patterns of zinc carboxylate formation and migration.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Dr Reneé S. Anderson (NMAAHC), Dr. Tuliza Fleming (NMAAHC) and Jessica Johnson (MCI) for their encouragement to undertake research related to modern paintings, as well as Jennifer Giaccai (Freer Sackler Gallery), for her advice and review. J. Taillon thanks Dr Chandler Becker (NIST) and Dr Andrew Herzing (NIST) for their reviews.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in the NIST Public Data Repository at https://doi.org/10.18434/M32082

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Log in via your institution

Access through your institution

Log in to Taylor & Francis Online

Restore content access

Restore content access for purchases made as guest
Purchase options * Save for later

PDF download + Online access

  • 48 hours access to article PDF & online version
  • Article PDF can be downloaded
  • Article PDF can be printed
USD 53.00 Add to cart

Issue Purchase

  • 30 days online access to complete issue
  • Article PDFs can be downloaded
  • Article PDFs can be printed
USD 209.00 Add to cart

* Local tax will be added as applicable

Related Research

People also read lists articles that other readers of this article have read.

Recommended articles lists articles that we recommend and is powered by our AI driven recommendation engine.

Cited by lists all citing articles based on Crossref citations.
Articles with the Crossref icon will open in a new tab.