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The Role of Formulations in the Ageing Process of Vinyl Acetate Based Emulsion Films: A Multivariate Approach
Carolina Viana1, Karin Wieland2, Susana França de Sá1
1LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Conservation and Restoration, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal.
The formulation of vinyl acetate (VAc)-based emulsions significantly impacts their long-term stability and aging behavior. Understanding these compositional differences is crucial for art conservation and predicting material performance over time.
Area of Science:
- Art Conservation Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Vinyl acetate (VAc)-based emulsions are widely used by artists, but their long-term behavior and aging are not fully understood.
- The impact of co-monomers and additives on the physical, chemical, and optical properties of VAc emulsions influences artwork stability and conservation.
- Knowledge on the correlation between VAc emulsion formulation and long-term stability is essential for art preservation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between the composition of VAc-based emulsions and their long-term stability.
- To analyze how different formulations, including homopolymers, copolymers, and plasticized/un-plasticized variants, age over time.
- To establish a link between material formulation and the degradation pathways of VAc emulsions in artworks.
Main Methods:
- Artificial aging of various VAc-based emulsions (homopolymers, copolymers, plasticized, un-plasticized).
- Multivariate analysis combining pH, contact angle (CA), colorimetry, FTIR-ATR, and SEC data.
- Application of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) to correlate composition with aging changes.
Main Results:
- Multivariate analysis successfully highlighted changes occurring during artificial aging.
- Correlations were established between specific formulation compositions and observed aging patterns.
- The study confirmed that VAc emulsion formulations significantly influence their long-term chemical and physical behavior.
Conclusions:
- Not all vinyl acetate-based emulsions exhibit identical chemical properties or aging characteristics.
- The specific formulation of VAc emulsions is a critical determinant of their long-term stability and performance in artistic applications.
- This research provides a foundation for predicting the longevity of artworks utilizing VAc emulsions and informs conservation strategies.
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