Spectroscopy for contemporary art: Discovering the effect of synthetic organic pigments on UVB degradation of acrylic binder

Abstract

Abstract The influence of Synthetic Organic Pigments in the degradation of Acrylem AC 33, a waterborne acrylic binder, after UVB-artificial exposure was furtherly investigated, extending the study to other pigments classes (anthraquinones, phthalocyanines, diketo-pyrrolo-pyrroles) in addition to previously studied azo-pigments. Together with Fourier Transform Infrared, both in Attenuated Reflectance and Transmission mode, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopies, Raman spectroscopy was also used to observe ageing processes that pigments are subjected to. Specific effects, relative to the presence of different pigments, have been observed also in this study; moreover, Raman spectroscopy highlighted photoinduced effects on some pigments, which could result useful in Cultural Heritage diagnostics, especially for street artworks.