Colorimetric sensor arrays: development and application to art conservation

"This dissertation explores the optimization, development and application of cost-effective, compact colorimetric arrays, focusing specially on their use in the cultural heritage and art conservation communities. One of Society's most important cultural responsibilities is the preservation of the past for the future. The surest way to protect a cultural heritage material from damage is to control the environment in which it is displayed. While there are a number of monitoring techniques available, there are many limitations (e.g., cost, portability) or problems (e.g., lack of desired sensitivity, time consuming, need for laboratory personnel). The Suslick Group believes we have a technology that could become a valuable tool for museum professionals. Chapter 1 provides a comprehensive review of destructive air pollutants in conservation environments and the existing methods to monitor and quantify them. This chapter serves to lay the groundwork for why low-cost, convenient colorimetric array technology is crucial. Chapter 2 optimizes the performance of portable colorimetric arrays, establishing them as an invaluable technology for museums and art conservationists. Chapter 3 provides a quantitative, side-by-side comparison of two standard colorimetric detection methods—RGB imaging and full reflectance spectrophotometry—in order to further improve the performance of these arrays. Finally, Chapter 4 applies the concepts learned in this work and in past work from the Suslick group, to extend with new sensor chemistry and detection techniques, our already sensitive optoelectronic nose technology into one capable of detecting museum pollutants in a variety of environments. In addition, this chapter addresses a study that uses this technology, through an exciting collaboration with the Getty Conservation Institute and the Walt Disney Animation Research Library, to make trial experiments in the monitoring of artwork from the Walt Disney Animation Research Library exhibition in Beijing, ""Drawn from Life: the Art of Disney Animation Studios"", in order to monitor pollutant exposure both during shipping and during exhibition."

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemistry

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2016

Author dc:creator

• LaGasse, Maria Kathleen

Contributors dc:contributor

• Suslick, Kenneth S.
• Scheeline, Alexander
• Murphy, Catherine J.
• Fout, Alison R.

• gaseous pollutants
• sensors
• preventive conservation

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2016 Maria LaGasse

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/93062

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/93062