Study of Microscale Mechanochemical Characterization of Drying Oil Films by Brillouin Scattering (CAT#: STEM-ST-0115-YJL)

Introduction

Since antiquity, drying oils (also called siccative oils) have been used as painting media, thanks to their ability to dry through polymerization, forming a solid film with good mechanical and optical properties, keeping the pigment particles firmly bound and adhering to the support. The introduction of siccative oil as a binder in art marked a turning point that allows artists to obtain enhanced optical effects, model the painted surface, and create a sense of depth and relief, which are not possible with the tempera-based painting techniques. Today, they are still in use not only in art but also as components in modern coatings such as alkyd paints or polyester resins. The hardening of drying oils is a chemical transformation, which occurs via an autoxidative process followed by polymerization. Despite the long history of research studies on the drying mechanism, which dates to the early '20s, it is still a vivid research focus, especially in relation to the common degradation phenomena of oil paints and consequent conservation issues.