Corrosion Protection Properties of Paraloid® B72 Coating for Vulnerable Glass

Finding reversible, transparent, non-yellowing coating materials which can shield vulnerable glasses from the corrosive effects of moisture and acidic environments is of great importance to glass conservators. This experiment seeks to test the protective capacity of Paraloid® B72, one of the most commonly used materials in conservation, as a coating for vulnerable glass samples. The goal of this work is to understand the potential and the limits of B72 as a protective coating for glass in high humidity environments and conditions with high levels of acid pollutants. Different thicknesses of coating are applied to test if additional layers offer added protection. The results of the experiment indicate the limited protective effect of moisture-permeable B72 as a corrosion protection coating for glass, and suggest potential for future research into B72 as a glass coating material.

This experiment was designed to compare the performance of different thicknesses of Paraloid® B72 applied in a 10% solution in acetone as a coating to the surface of vulnerable glass samples for humid (high RH) and acidic (low pH) environments, both of which are known to cause corrosion in glass.