title: Conservation of artists' acrylic emulsion paints: XPS, NEXAFS and ATR-FTIR studies of wet cleaning methods.
abstract: Works of art prepared with acrylic emulsion paints became commercially available in the 1960s. It is increasingly necessary to undertake and optimise cleaning and preventative conservation treatments to ensure their longevity. Model artists' acrylic paint films covered with artificial soiling were thus prepared on a canvas support and exposed to a variety of wet cleaning treatments based on aqueous or hydrocarbon solvent systems. This included some with additives such as chelating agents and/or surfactants, and microemulsion systems made specifically for conservation practice. The impact of cleaning (soiling removal) on the paint film surface was examined visually and correlated with results of attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared, XPS and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure analyses - three spectroscopic techniques with increasing surface sensitivity ranging from approximately - 1000, 10 and 5 nm, respectively. Visual analysis established the relative cleaning efficacy of the wet cleaning treatments in line with previous results. X-ray spectroscopy analysis provided significant additional findings, including evidence for (i) surfactant extraction following aqueous swabbing, (ii) modifications to pigment following cleaning and (iii) cleaning system residues. © 2014 The Authors.Surface and Interface Analysispublished by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, The University of Manchester The Mill, Sackville Street, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Willneff
authors.affiliation: Tate Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG, UK.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Ormsby
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, The University of Manchester The Mill, Sackville Street, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Standards and Technology Gaithersburg, MD, 20899, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jaye
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Standards and Technology Gaithersburg, MD, 20899, USA.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, The University of Manchester The Mill, Sackville Street, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK ; School of Chemistry, The University of Manchester Brunswick Street, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
authors.forename: Slm
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schroeder
keywords: ATR-FTIR; Heritage Science; NEXAFS; XPS; acrylic emulsion paint; cleaning; microemulsion; pigment; residue