Artwork diagnostics: an onsite electrochemical monitoring method for early detection of coating failure

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With support from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging program in the Division of Chemistry, Prof. Tami Clare of Portland State University and researchers at the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) will develop an analytical methodology, based on Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) that will permit the measurement of the coating integrity of outdoor artwork. The project aims to overcome significant barriers that prevented widespread use of EIS by the cultural heritage science community. Most notably, electrochemical testing typically requires artwork to be conductive and wired to instrumentation at an uncoated region of the artwork. PI Clare and her coworkers will fabricate and use surface-mounted electrodes that can be quickly attached (and cleanly removed) from the coating surfaces. They will investigate surface-electrode strategies, identify specific analytical parameters in the laboratory using test panels subjected to accelerated aging, and use this knowledge to conduct routine, onsite testing at the Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle, WA. A diagnostic tool for rapid analysis of coatings on works of art would be transformative to the field of cultural heritage science and beyond. It has the potential to impact the practice of infrastructure maintenance (buildings and bridges). Methods and electrode developments explored in this project are transferrable to any museum in the world and will allow for tailored maintenance regimens that are artwork-specific. The project provides a unique opportunity to engage the public in science literacy education, and highlight the use of modern analytical tools in the science of cultural heritage preservation. It will provide excellent training opportunities to students who wish to train in state of the art analytical methodology and in the field of cultural heritage science.