A promising environmentally-friendly manganese-based catalyst for alkyd emulsion coatings

The Evolution of Catalysis for Alkyd Coatings: Responding to Impending Cobalt Reclassification with Very Active Iron and Manganese Catalysts, Using Polydentate Nitrogen Donor Ligands

Autoxidation processes to achieve curing of alkyd resins in paints, inks, and coatings are ubiquitous in many applications. Cobalt soaps have been employed for these applications for many decades and most of the paint and ink alkyd resin formulations have been optimized to achieve optimal benefits of the cobalt soaps. However, cobalt soaps are under increased scrutiny because of likely reclassification as carcinogenic under REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restrictions of Chemicals) legislation in Europe. This is critical, since such coatings are available for regular human contact. Alternative manganese- and iron-based siccatives have been developed to address this need for over a decade. They often show very high curing activity depending on the organic ligands bound to the metal centers. Recently, new classes of catalysts and modes of application have been published or patented to create safe paints, whilst delivering performance benefits via their unique reaction mechanisms. Besides the use of well-defined, preformed catalysts, paint formulations have also been developed with mixtures of metal soaps and ligands that form active species in-situ. The change from Co-soaps to Mn- and Fe-based siccatives meant that important coating issues related to radical-based curing, such as skinning, had to be rethought. In this paper we will review the new catalyst technologies and their performance and modes of action, as well as new compounds developed to provide anti-skinning benefits.

Time-Dependent ATR-FTIR Spectroscopic Studies on Solvent Diffusion and Film Swelling in Oil Paint Model Systems

In the restoration of paintings, solvent diffusion and swelling of polymeric oil paint binding media are important factors to consider. Common cleaning methods with organic solvents or aqueous solutions could lead to undesirable physicochemical changes in the paint in the long term, though the extent of this effect is not yet clear. We used tailored nonporous model systems for aged oil paint to measure paint swelling and solvent diffusion for a wide range of relevant solvents. Using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), the glass transition temperature of our model systems was found to be close to room temperature. Subsequently, with a custom sample cell and time-dependent attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, we were able to accurately track swelling and diffusion processes in the polymer films. To quantify the spectroscopic data, we developed a model that completely describes the solvent migration process, including significant film swelling and non-Fickian solvent diffusion. The relation between solvent properties, the diffusion coefficient, and the swelling capacity proved to be rather complex and could not be explained using a single solvent parameter. However, it was found that strongly swelling solvents generally diffuse faster than weakly swelling solvents and that pigmentation does not significantly influence solvent diffusion. These results contribute to a better understanding of transport phenomena in paintings and support the development of improved paint restoration strategies.

Low temperature oxidation of linseed oil: a review

This review analyses and summarises the previous investigations on the oxidation of linseed oil and the self-heating of cotton and other materials impregnated with the oil. It discusses the composition and chemical structure of linseed oil, including its drying properties. The review describes several experimental methods used to test the propensity of the oil to induce spontaneous heating and ignition of lignocellulosic materials soaked with the oil. It covers the thermal ignition of the lignocellulosic substrates impregnated with the oil and it critically evaluates the analytical methods applied to investigate the oxidation reactions of linseed oil.

Initiation of radical chains by singlet oxygen (1Δg), and their propagation underpin the mechanism of oxidation of linseed oil, leading to the self-heating and formation of volatile organic species and higher molecular weight compounds. The review also discusses the role of metal complexes of cobalt, iron and manganese in catalysing the oxidative drying of linseed oil, summarising some kinetic parameters such as the rate constants of the peroxidation reactions.

With respect to fire safety, the classical theory of self-ignition does not account for radical and catalytic reactions and appears to offer limited insights into the autoignition of lignocellulosic materials soaked with linseed oil. New theoretical and numerical treatments of oxidation of such materials need to be developed. The self-ignition induced by linseed oil is predicated on the presence of both a metal catalyst and a lignocellulosic substrate, and the absence of any prior thermal treatment of the oil, which destroys both peroxy radicals and singlet O2 sensitisers. An overview of peroxyl chemistry included in the article will be useful to those working in areas of fire science, paint drying, indoor air quality, biofuels and lipid oxidation.