Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and the analytical study of works of art for purposes of diagnosis and conservation

This paper is a study of the analytical capacity of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) for any type of samples from works of art. The analytical information obtained with this technique on organic and inorganic compounds is extremely useful in the preliminary studies necessary for diagnosis and to decide on the conservation process. This paper reports the analysis and study with FT-IR on samples extracted from the microlayers in several works of art from different periods (16th to 18th century) comprising wall paintings and canvas. The most outstanding of these being the frescoes by A. Palomino from two ceilings in the Santos Juanes church. The analytical procedures for the different components of the works studied such as

1. (a) varnish applied to wood panels and canvas paintings,

2. (b) binding media and pigments used by the artists,

3. (c) inerts, mortars, stuccos and grounds have been optimized. The FT-IR technique offers a quick analysis of microsamples (less than 0.5 mg) and is able to characterise the different molecular groups which provide information on the nature of the different materials of organic and inorganic origin used by the artist and thus permits the diagnosis of pathologies requiring conservation treatment.

Identification of proteins,drying oils,waxes and resins in the works of art micro‐samples by chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques

Simplified method for simultaneous identification of proteins, drying oils, waxes, and resins in the works‐of‐art samples was developed. Liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry were used to identify natural materials most frequently encountered in historical paintings. Protein binders were extracted with ammonia and purified using miniaturized solid‐phase microextraction (Omix tips) to efficiently suppress matrix interferences. Zwitterionic stationary phase was used for separation of 16 underivatized amino acids analysis with hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography that was subsequently quantified with liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry was used to analyze drying oils, waxes, and resins after one‐step saponification/transmethylation with (m‐trifluoromethylphenyl)trimethylammonium hydroxide (Meth‐Prep II). While the drawback of this reagent is low reactivity towards hydroxyl groups, sample pretreatment was much simpler as compared to the other methods. Fatty acids derivatization with the Meth‐Prep II reagent was compared with their silylation using N,O‐bis(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide/trimethylchlorosilane mixture. It was concluded that fatty acids analysis as their methyl esters instead of trimethylsilyl esters had a minor impact on the method sensitivity. The developed method was used to analyze samples from 16^th and 17^th century historical paintings.     

Laser flash photolysis study of the decay kinetics of carbocations of 1,2,2,4-tetramethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline in the porous glass in the presence of methanol

The efficiency of formation and the decay kinetics of carbocations formed under the photolysis of 1,2,2,4-tetramethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline in methanol and in a porous glass filled with methanol or dried in air or in vacuo were studied by the laser flash photolysis techniques. In MeOH, the carbocations recombine via the second-order law in the reaction with the MeO⁻ anion formed in an equimolar amount and decay via the first-order law in the reaction with the solvent with rate constants of 3·10⁸ L mol⁻¹ s^{− 1} and 1.4·10³ s⁻¹, respectively. When the solution is placed into the porous glass, no recombination of the carbocations with MeO⁻ is observed, and the reaction with the solvent is somewhat inhibited (rate constant 8·10² s⁻¹). More than tenfold inhibition of the reaction of the carbocations with methanol is observed on going to a monolayer of MeOH on the surface. The main route of carbocation decay in the porous glass dried in vacuo is the geminate recombination with the SiO groups. The corresponding kinetics is described in terms of the model of freely diffusing reactants. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 2239–2243, October, 2005.