An analytical approach for the non-invasive selection of consolidants in rubber artworks

Abstract

The effectiveness of five polymeric materials for the long-term conservation and restoration of rubber artworks was evaluated by accelerated photo-oxidative degradation studies. Two different ethylene vinyl-acetate resins, generally used in industry and uncommon in conservation field, a new water-based polyurethane, and two ethylene butyl-acrylate resins were assessed for the consolidation of rubber. By monitoring their degradation along time with LED imaging coupled to statistics and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), the polymeric materials with the best properties that ensure the protection and security of the artwork were identified. The degradation was performed in solar box simulating the light exposure in a museum, under controlled temperature at no more than 35 °C in order to exclude the thermal effects that could influence the ageing of polymers. The mechanical stress of the treated samples was also investigated. The spectroscopic analyses, the chromatic changes study, and the mechanical degradation were used as indicators of the consolidant stability, allowing the evaluation of the materials selected for the consolidation and conservation of rubber. The ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers resulted the most stable and suitable for the conservation of rubber artworks. Lastly, the conservation treatment identified in this research was employed for the restoration of the contemporary artwork "Presagi di Birnam" made with bicycle inner tubes by the artist Carol Rama.

Non-Invasive Paleo-Metabolomics and Paleo-Proteomics Analyses Reveal the Complex Funerary Treatment of the Early 18th Dynasty Dignitary NEBIRI (QV30)

“…More specifically, through the application of mass spectrometry, minimum amounts of ancient molecules extracted from micro-samples have been identified and quantified [ 1 , 2 ]. Recently, new methods for the non-invasive analysis of cultural materials were developed [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. Functionalized resins were successfully employed to investigate the compounds used in ancient paintings and frescoes [ 10 , 11 ]; commercially available skin sampling strips were applied to archeological materials to identify paleo-proteins [ 9 ]; and other techniques were developed for the identification of in situ hydrogel extraction of proteinaceous binders [ 5 , 6 ] or to reveal the taxonomic identification of ancient archeological materials [ 8 ].…”

“…The present research focuses on the application of a non-invasive functionalized film method [ 4 ] to the analysis of the human remains of an 18th Dynasty Egyptian individual named Nebiri.…”

Fiat Lux ... how Alessandro Volta illuminated his scripts

“…The non-invasive approach to study cultural heritage objects, precious artworks and ancient manuscripts is always preferred [3][4][5]. Thus, with the help of the EVA technology (ethylene vinyl acetate diskettes studded with strong cation and anion exchangers, as well as with C 8 and C 18 hydrophobic resins) [6,7] we have been able to harvest ultra-minute amounts of ink and analyse it via GCXGC/TOFMS (gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry).…”

A pyrolysis approach for characterizing and assessing degradation of polyurethane foam in cultural heritage objects

“…Infrared spectroscopic techniques have proven efficient in characterising different classes of polymers including PU [22][23][24][25][26][27].…”