Collaborative Research: Materials Characterization toward Understanding the Cleaning and Preservation of Painted Modern Art Surfaces

在化学系和多学科活动办公室化学测量和成像计划的支持下，维拉诺瓦大学的拉加兰特教授和特拉华大学的沃尔贝斯教授将研究水性乳液聚合物(丙烯酸)涂料的组成、清洁和老化。自20世纪50年代推出以来，主要公共机构中的丙烯画数量几乎呈指数级增长，无论是从其纯粹的货币价值还是从其社会、经济和文化意义来看，都代表着一种重要的文化资产。虽然丙烯酸聚合物涂料让艺术家们在审美上远离了油画涂料的传统局限，但文物保护者面临着文化遗产，在清洁和保护这些珍宝方面，面临着一些最大的挑战。合作研究将1)利用液质联用仪(LC-MS/MS)和3D显微成像技术研究去除人工老化测试涂料中的“模型”污垢的微乳液配方，以评估其清洗效果；2)利用2D解吸电喷雾串联质谱仪(2D Desi-MS/MS)结合2D电子顺磁共振成像(2D EPRI)技术，研究老化丙烯酸薄膜表面活性剂的光氧化和形态形成；以及3)在国内和国际研讨会上征集优化微乳液清洗液的保护器测试。2DDesi-MS/MS成像技术的引入将对博物馆保护实验室的艺术品表面分子成像产生重大影响，并将为EPR成像在本提案范围之外的科学领域找到更广泛的适用性。计划开展广泛的宣传活动，教育艺术家、文化遗产科学家、博物馆保护人员和涂料制造商如何创造、保护、展览和保存现代油漆表面的最佳方法。

With support from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program in the Division of Chemistry and Office of Multidisciplinary Activities, Professor Lagalante at Villanova University and Professor Wolbers at University of Delaware will study the composition, cleaning, and aging of water-borne emulsion polymer (acrylic) paints. Since their introduction in the 1950s, the number of acrylic paintings in major public institutions has grown almost exponentially and represent a significant cultural asset, both in terms of their sheer monetary value and their social, economic, and cultural significance. While acrylic polymer paints have enabled artists to move aesthetically far from the traditional limitations of oil paints, conservators face a cultural legacy replete with some of the greatest challenges in terms of cleaning and preserving these treasures. The collaborative research will 1) investigate the formulation of aqueous microemulsions to remove "model" soils from artificially aged test paints utilizing liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and 3D microscopic imaging to evaluate the cleaning efficacy, 2) investigate the photo-oxidation and speciation of surfactants of aged acrylic films using 2D desorption electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (2D DESI-MS/MS) surface imaging in combination with 2D electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (2D EPRI), and 3) solicit conservator testing of optimized microemulsion cleaning solutions at national and international workshops. The introduction of 2D DESI-MS/MS imaging will be transformative in the museum conservation laboratory for molecular imaging of artwork surfaces as well as find broader applicability for EPR imaging in scientific fields outside the scope of the present proposal. A broad outreach is planned to educate artists, cultural heritage scientists, museum conservators, and paint manufacturers as to the best methods for creating, protecting, exhibiting, and preserving modern painted surfaces.