Analysis and aging of unsaturated polyester resins in contemporary art installations by NMR spectroscopy

Two original art installations constructed from unsaturated polyester resins (UPR) and four different reference UPR products (before and after UVB aging) were analyzed by high-resolution 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Breaking strain studies were also conducted for the four UPR model products before and after different aging procedures (moisture, UVB exposure, melt/freeze). NMR analysis of the chemical composition of the UPR resin extracts showed they contain several low MW organic compounds and oligomers rich in polar -OH groups that play a significant role in the degradation behavior of the composite UPR materials. Statistical analysis of the NMR compositional data showed that styrene and benzaldehyde contents can be used to differentiate between fresh and aged UPR samples. The phthalate and propylene glycol unit speciation (esterified, primary or secondary -OH) of the extracts provided evidence that UPR resin C was used in the construction of the two art installations, and direct comparison of (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra verified this compositional similarity. UPR resin C was shown by both NMR and breaking strain studies to be the reference UPR most susceptible to degradation by different aging procedures, a characteristic attributed to the lower styrene content of resin C.