The Chemistry of Art
Elizabeth Wise, Ph.D.
Lourdes College
Preparation
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Course Materials: NSF Center for
Workshops in the Chemical Sciences,
http://chemistry.gsu.edu/CWCS/
Text: Barbara R. Greenberg and Dianne
Patterson, Art in Chemistry; Chemistry in
Art. Teacher Ideas Press: Westport,
Connecticut, 2008.
General Information
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Audience: undergraduate non-science
majors; undergraduate science majors; high
school students; summer workshops for
students in grades 5-10 or for teachers
Format: 2.5-hour class with integrated
lab/studio activities
Overview of Topics
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Basics
▪ Light, Color, and Matter (inorganic & organic)
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Applications of Chemistry in Art
▪ Paint Media
▪ Pigments and Dyes
▪ Glass and Ceramics
▪ Polymers
▪ Metals
▪ Photography
▪ Conservation and Restoration
Class Activities
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Chromatography of pen inks
T-shirts with flower patterns or element symbols
Compare/contrast different paint media
Shrinky Dinks
Borax crystal shapes
Frescoes
Etched glass
Super sculpey or ceramics project
Anodize niobium wire
Cyanotypes
Demonstrations
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Karen Timberlake, author of GOB and
basic chemistry texts
Steve Spangler,
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/
Science Academic Content Standards
Physical Sciences, Grades 9-10
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Describe that matter is made of minute
particles called atoms and atoms are
comprised of even smaller components.
Explain the structure and properties of
atoms.
Explain how atoms react with each other to
form other substances and how molecules
react with each other or other atoms to form
even different substances.
Physical Sciences, Grades 9-10 (cont.)
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Describe the identifiable physical properties
of substances (e.g. color, hardness,
conductivity, density, concentration and
ductility). Explain how changes in these
properties can occur without changing the
chemical nature of the substance.
Demonstrate that waves (e.g. sound,
seismic, water and light) have energy and
waves can transfer energy when they
interact with matter.
Science Academic Content Standards
Physical Sciences, Grades 11-12
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Explain how variations in the arrangement
and motion of atoms and molecules form
the basis of a variety of biological, chemical
and physical phenomena.
Describe how atoms and molecules can
gain or lose energy only in discrete
amounts.
PowerPoint Basics
Components of Presentation
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Ask for input
Provide information
Evaluate learning
Class Activity
Paint Binders
Film-Forming Polymers
Work with a partner to...
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List examples of
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Can you describe basic polymer structure?
Polymers — What Are They?
POLY = many
MER = parts or units
 MONOMER = basic unit
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Hundreds or thousands of monomers
 MACROMOLECULES - high mol. wt.
 Natural and Synthetic Polymers
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Natural Polymers Came First
Proteins
Hair, wool, fur, silk, casein
 Carbohydrates
Cellulose (cotton), starch, plant gums
 Rubber
Extract of rubber tree
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Natural Polymers
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Proteins
H
O
H
O
H
O
H
O
H
O
H
O
—NH—C—C—
—NH—C—C—
—NH—C—C—
—NH—C—C—
—NH—C—C—
—NH—C—C—
R1
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R2
R3
R4
R5
R6
n
Carbohydrates
OH
O
OH
OH
O
OH
OH
O
OH
OH
O
OH
OH
O
OH
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
HO
HO
HO
HO
HO
HO
HO
OH
O
OH
OH
O
OH
n
Synthetic Polymers = Plastics
Celluloid - 1869 - substitute for ivory
 Rayon - 1878 - substitute for silk
 Bakelite - 1907 - first wholly synthetic
 Nylon - 1939 - intro at NY World’s Fair
 Polyethylene, polyesters, Teflon® -1930’s
 Polycarbonates - 1950’s
 Polyaramids - bullet-proof vests
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Some Polymer Trade Names
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Formica
Dacron (polyester)
Mylar
Plexiglass
Lucite
Orlon
Saran
Teflon
Kevlar
Plastics are Polymers
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Thermoplastic polymers
 soften
and flow when heated
 re-harden when cooled
 easily molded
 easily recycled
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Thermoset polymers
 do
not soften with heat, cannot be remelted
 heat resistent
 rigid and hard
Types of Polymers
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Linear Polymers — THERMOPLASTIC
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Branched Polymers — THERMOPLASTIC
Types of Polymers
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Cross-linked Polymers — THERMOSETS
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Usually more rigid or stiff
Uses of Polymeric Materials
Synthetic fibers
 Plastic films
 Synthetic rubber (silicone rubber)
 Adhesives and binding agents
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Polymers in Art
Paper
 Fibers
 Paint Binders and Glues
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Primary binder functions...
1. Executive — makes paint spreadable
2. Binding — adheres pigment to surface
3. Film-forming — encloses and protects
pigment from atmospheric chemicals
4. Optical — alters appearance by
absorption, reflection and refraction of light
Film-Forming Agents
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Lipids (fats, oils, waxes)
 Oil
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paint, egg tempera paint, encaustic paint
Carbohydrates (sugars and starches)
 Watercolor
and gouache paint, gum adhesives
and glues
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Proteins
 Milk
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paint, egg tempera paint, adhesives
Terpene Resins (essential plant oils)
 Varnishes
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Synthetic Polymers
 Acrylic
and Alkyd binders
Learning Check
Which of the following is a primary binder
function?
a) adheres pigment to surface b) makes
paint spreadable c) alters appearance by
absorption, reflection, or refraction of light
d) all of the above
 Which category of binder is used in
watercolor?
a) carbohydrate b) lipid c) protein
d) synthetic polymer
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Learning Check
Which of the following is NOT true of fats?
a) contain mainly saturated fatty acids
b) have high melting points c) are solid or
semi-solid d) derived from plant sources
 Which of the following represents the
building blocks of carbohydrates?
a) amino acids
b) fatty acids
c) monosaccharides
d) polysaccharides
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Class Activity
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Shrinky Dinks