Neutron radiography for the study of water uptake in painting canvases and preparation layers

Boon, Jaap J.; Hendrickx, Roel; Eijkel, Gert B.; Cerjak, I.; Kaestner, Anders; Ferreira, Ester S.B.

doi:10.1007/s00339-015-9381-z

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Set-up A consists of a Teflon holder in which a sample is laid flat between two perforated Teflon plates (Boon, J.J., et al 2015). This holder is screwed on top of an aluminium base, in which water can be injected with a remote-controlled syringe, so that the environment below the sample reaches an RH of 98-100% within a few minutes.…”

Section: Neutron Radiographymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The moisture distribution was obtained by computing the logarithm of the signal intensity ratio between the dry reference image and the time series of wet images. Calibration to determine the effective attenuation coefficient was based on gravimetric measurement results obtained during replicated experiments, performed after the beamline session (Boon, J.J., et al, 2015). Samples 5-7 were tested according to this procedure.…”

Section: Neutron Radiographymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The use of neutron radiography as a quantitative method to study moisture absorption in paintings was explored recently (Boon, J.J., et al, 2015). Although control of the ambient conditions in the beamline and the precise alignment of samples are not straightforward, the authors show that it is feasible to obtain sufficient information for monitoring the temporally and spatially resolved moisture absorption in painting canvas with a ground layer.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Distribution of moisture in reconstructed oil paintings on canvas during absorption and drying: A neutron radiography and NMR study

Hendrickx

Ferreira

Boon

et al. 2016

Studies in Conservation

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Moisture is a driving factor in the long-term mechanical deterioration of canvas paintings, as well as for a number of physico-chemical degradation processes. Since the 1990s a number of publications have addressed the equilibrium hygroscopic uptake and the hygro-mechanical deformation of linen canvas, oil paint, animal glue, and ground paint. In order to visualise and quantify the dynamic behaviour of these materials combined in a painting mock-up or reconstruction, we have performed custom-designed experiments with neutron radiography and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging. This paper reports how both techniques were used to obtain spatially and temporally resolved information on moisture content, during alternate exposure to high and low relative humidity, or in contact with liquids of varying water activities. We observed how the canvas, which is the dominant component in terms of volumetric moisture uptake, absorbs and dries rapidly, and, due to its low vapour resistance, allows for vapour transfer towards the ground layer. Moisture desorption was generally found to be faster than absorption. The presence of sizing glue leads to a local increase of moisture content. It was observed that lining a painting with an extra canvas results in a damping effect: i.e. absorption and drying are significantly slowed-down. The results obtained by NMR are complementary to neutron radiography in that they allow accurate monitoring of water ingress in contact with a liquid reservoir. Quantitative results are in good agreement with adsorption isotherms. The findings can be used for risk analysis of paintings exposed to changing micro-climates or subjected to conservation treatments using water. Future studies addressing moisture-driven deformation of paintings can make use of the proposed experimental techniques.

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Section: Neutron Radiographymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Neutron Radiographymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Distribution of moisture in reconstructed oil paintings on canvas during absorption and drying: A neutron radiography and NMR study

Hendrickx

Ferreira

Boon

et al. 2016

Studies in Conservation

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“…Boon et al utilized neutron radiography on a mesoscopic level to study water uptake by model samples of painting canvas supports and ground preparations. They reported that the canvas cellulose fibers and the glue sizing have a much stronger water uptake than the chalk ground layer bound in glue, and that the uptake rate is not uniform throughout the thickness of the sized canvas 23 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nano- to microscale three-dimensional morphology relevant to transport properties in reactive porous composite paint films

Liu

Tullio

Lin

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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The quantitative evaluation of the three-dimensional (3D) morphology of porous composite materials is important for understanding mass transport phenomena, which further impact their functionalities and durability. Reactive porous paint materials are composites in nature and widely used in arts and technological applications. In artistic oil paintings, ambient moisture and water and organic solvents used in conservation treatments are known to trigger multiple physical and chemical degradation processes; however, there is no complete physical model that can quantitatively describe their transport in the paint films. In the present study, model oil paints with lead white (2PbCO3·Pb(OH)2) and zinc white (ZnO) pigments, which are frequently found in artistic oil paintings and are associated with the widespread heavy metal soap deterioration, were studied using synchrotron X-ray nano-tomography and unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance. This study aims to establish a relationship among the paints’ compositions, the 3D morphological properties and degradation. This connection is crucial for establishing reliable models that can predict transport properties of solvents used in conservation treatments and of species involved in deterioration reactions, such as soap formation.

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“…The attenuation of neutrons by most elements forming silicate minerals (Si, Al, Ca, Fe, Mg, Na, O ...) is orders of magnitudes smaller than attenuation by hydrogen. Neutron radiography, therefore, can quantify water transfer within porous media such as quartz sands, concretes, plants, rocks and soils in situ Shokri et al 2008;Schillinger et al 2011;Sedighi-Gilani et al 2013;Shokri and Or 2013;Hall 2013;Jordan et al 2013;Villman et al 2014;Boon et al 2015). In combination with temperature measurements and mechanical testing, neutron radiography is not only a suitable method to investigate the coupling of heat and moisture transport but also to assess the relation between transport and material property.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Neutron Radiographic Study of the Effect of Heat-Driven Water Transport on the Tensile Strength of Bentonite-Bonded Moulding Sand

et al. 2017

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Wet tensile testing is a common method to assess the stability of bentonite-bonded moulding sands. For wet tensile testing, a specimen is first heated from above in order to simulate heat-driven moisture transport induced by the casting process. Then, tensile stress is applied until rupture. In this study, neutron radiography imaging was applied to moulding sands in situ during heating and wet tensile testing in order to investigate the effects of water kinematics on the tensile strength. Neutron radiography allowed the localization of the rupture plane and the quantitative determination of the local water content with sub-mm resolution. Quantification of the temperature at the rupture plane and of the heat kinematics within the specimen was accomplished by temperature measurements both in situ and ex situ. In this way, experimental data correlating the wet tensile strength with the specific conditions of moulding sands at the rupture plane were obtained for the first time. that the weakest location within a sand profile can be pinpointed at the interface between evaporation and condensation zone (i.e. at the 100 • C isotherm), where water vaporization starts and the water bridges connecting the sand grains collapse. This weakest location has maximum strength, if the local water content at the rupture plane is between 5 and 9 wt.%. Less water leads to a strong decrease of wet tensile strength. More water requires an initial water content above 5 wt.%, which leads to a decrease of the tensile strength of the unheated sand.

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Neutron radiography for the study of water uptake in painting canvases and preparation layers

Cited by 10 publications

References 31 publications

Distribution of moisture in reconstructed oil paintings on canvas during absorption and drying: A neutron radiography and NMR study

Distribution of moisture in reconstructed oil paintings on canvas during absorption and drying: A neutron radiography and NMR study

Nano- to microscale three-dimensional morphology relevant to transport properties in reactive porous composite paint films

Neutron Radiographic Study of the Effect of Heat-Driven Water Transport on the Tensile Strength of Bentonite-Bonded Moulding Sand

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