The Chemistry and Mechanism of Art Materials : Unsuspected Properties and Outcomes

This unique book presents an integrated approach to the chemistry of art materials, exploring the many chemical processes involved. **__The__** **Chemistry and Mechanism of Art Materials: Unsuspected Properties and Outcomes** engagesreaders with historical vignettes detailing examples of unexpected outcomes due to materials used by known artists. The book discusses artists’ materials focusing on relevant chemical mechanisms which underlie the synthesis and deterioration of inorganic pigments in paintings, the ageing of the binder in oil paintings, and sulfation of wall paintings as well as the toxicology of these pigments and solvents used by artists. Mechanisms illustrate the stepwise structural transformation of a variety of art materials. Based on the author’s years of experience teaching college chemistry, the approach is descriptive and non-mathematical throughout. An introductory section includes a review of basic concepts and provides concise descriptions of analytical methods used in contemporary art conservation. Additional features include: * Illustrations of chemical reactivity associated with art materials * Includes a review of chemical bonding principles, redox and mechanism writing * Covers analytical techniques used by art conservation scientists * Accessible for readers with a limited science background * Provides numerous references for readers seeking additional information Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of Figures List of Schemes List of Tables Preface Acknowledgments Author List of Abbreviations Chapter 1 Essential Concepts 1.1 Chemical Bonding 1.2 Oxidation–Reduction, Oxidation Numbers 1.3 Hard and Soft Acid Base Theory 1.4 Writing Chemical Reaction Mechanisms 1.5 Experimental Methods Used to Characterize Works of Art 1.5.1 X-Ray Spectroscopic Methods 1.5.2 Electron Microscopy 1.5.3 Vibrational Spectroscopy 1.5.4 Electrochemical Methods References Chapter 2 Preparation of Inorganic Pigments Used by Artists 2.1 Black Pigments 2.2 Blue Pigments 2.2.1 Prussian Blue as Antidote 2.3 Brown Pigments 2.3.1 Brown Iron (III) Oxide Pigments 2.4 Green Pigments 2.5 Red Pigments 2.5.1 Red Iron (III) Oxide Pigments 2.6 Violet Pigments 2.7 White Pigments 2.8 Yellow Pigments 2.8.1 Yellow Iron (III) Oxide, FeO(OH), Goethite References General Antimony Black Carbon Black Cobalt Black Iron Oxide, Magnetite Manganese Black Azurite Cerulean Blue Egyptian Blue Prussian Blue Ultramarine Verdigris Chromium Oxide Paris Green, Emerald Green α-Cinnabar, Vermilion Red Lead Iron (III) Oxide Pigments: Red, Yellow, Brown Cobalt Violet Antimony White Titanium White Lead White Bismuth Vanadate Cadmium Pigments Cobalt Yellow Lead Chromate Lead Tin Yellows and Naples Yellow Lead Monoxide Orpiment and Realgar Titanium Yellow General Chapter 3 Silica, Silicates and Aluminosilicates 3.1 Silica 3.2 Silicates 3.3 Pigment – Silicate Interactions 3.4 Ceramic Glaze 3.5 Aluminosilicates References Silica, Silicates and Aluminosilicates Chapter 4 Discoloration Stories 4.1 Red Lead Discoloration 4.1.1 Role of Photo-Semiconductor Pigments in Degradation of Organic Material 4.1.2 Red Lead Degradation in Wall Paintings 4.2 Discoloration of Cadmium Yellow 4.3 Blackening of Cinnabar in Wall Paintings 4.4 Light-Induced Rearrangement of Realgar 4.4.1 Raman Spectra of α-Realgar and Para-Realgar 4.5 Browning of Chrome Yellow 4.6 Blackening of Hematite in Wall Painting of Pompeian House 4.7 General Blackening of Pigments by H[sub(2)]S 4.8 Smalt Discoloration 4.9 Ultramarine Disease 4.9.1 Chemical Change in the Pigment 4.9.2 Chromophore Destruction 4.9.3 Zeolites 4.9.4 Degradation of the Oily Binder 4.10 Azurite and Malachite 4.10.1 Malachite to Moolooite 4.11 Prussian Blue Fading 4.12 Browning of Silverpoint Drawings 4.13 Tarnishing of Silver 4.14 Environmental Factors and Pigment Stability References Semiconductor Pigments Red Lead Cadmium Yellow Cinnabar Realgar Chrome Yellow Hematite Blackening by H[sub(2)]S Smalt Ultramarine Azurite and Malachite Prussian Blue Silverpoint Silver Tarnish Stability of Inorganic Artists’ Pigments Chapter 5 Toxicology of Art Materials 5.1 Organic Compounds 5.1.1 Methylene Chloride 5.1.2 Carbon Tetrachloride and Chloroform 5.1.3 Trichloroethylene 5.1.4 n-Hexane 5.1.5 Aromatic Solvents 5.1.6 Diisocyanates 5.1.7 N-Methylpyrrolidone and N-Ethylpyrrolidone 5.1.8 Alcohols, Glycols and Glycol Ethers 5.1.9 Mineral Spirits 5.1.10 Turpentine 5.2 Inorganic Materials 5.2.1 Lead 5.2.2 Zinc, Cadmium and Mercury Familial Properties 5.2.3 Cadmium 5.2.4 Mercury 5.2.4.1 Does Bacterial Methylation Occur in the Human Gut? 5.2.4.2 Dimethylmercury 5.2.5 Silver 5.2.6 Arsenic 5.2.7 Chromium 5.2.8 Silica Dust References Artists Self Poisoning Occupational Hazard Organics Aromatic Solvents Alcohols, Glycols and Glycol Ethers Mineral Spirits Turpentine Inorganics Lead Zinc, Cadmium, Mercury Family Cadmium Mercury Silver Arsenic Chromium Silica Dust Chapter 6 Aging of Oil Paint Binder 6.1 Main Features of the Model for Aging Oil Paint 6.2 IR Spectra of Metal Soaps 6.3 Metal Soap Aggregation: Model System 6.4 Autoxidative Reactions Leading to Chain Scission and Cross-Linking in Oil Paint 6.5 Metal Oxalates in Oil Paint 6.6 Photocatalytic Role of TiO[sub(2)] in Degradation of Oil Paint References Chapter 7 Aging of Wall Paintings 7.1 Reversal of Sulfation by the Ferroni-Dini Method 7.2 Influence of Water-Soluble Salts 7.3 Degradation of Oil Binder References Index This unique book presents an integrated approach to the chemistry of art materials, exploring the many chemical processes involved. The Chemistry and Mechanism of Art Materials: Unsuspected Properties and Outcomes engages readers with historical vignettes detailing examples of unexpected outcomes due to materials used by known artists. The book discusses artists’ materials focusing on relevant chemical mechanisms which underlie the synthesis and deterioration of inorganic pigments in paintings, the ageing of the binder in oil paintings, and sulfation of wall paintings as well as the toxicology of these pigments and solvents used by artists. Mechanisms illustrate the stepwise structural transformation of a variety of art materials. Based on the author’s years of experience teaching college chemistry, the approach is descriptive and non-mathematical throughout. An introductory section includes a review of basic concepts and provides concise descriptions of analytical methods used in contemporary art conservation. Additional features include: Illustrations of chemical reactivity associated with art materials Includes a review of chemical bonding principles, redox and mechanism writing Covers analytical techniques used by art conservation scientists Accessible for readers with a limited science background Provides numerous references for readers seeking additional information "Presents an integrated approach to the chemistry of art materials, exploring the many chemical processes involved. It explores the chemical structures and stepwise transformation of starting materials to final products. The approach is descriptive and non-mathematical throughout"-- Provided by publisher