B72 vs. Paraloid B67 Materials for Conservation of Wood Artifacts

The aim of the paper is a comparative testing of two Paraloid resins (B-72 and B-67), in order to determine which is the most efficient for the protection of wood artifacts. Healthy Spruce wood samples were cut (3cm ×3cm ×0.7cm) and covered by brushing with 3 layers of a Paraloid B 72 10% solution (solvent acetone: ethanol 1:1) and with a solution of Paraloid B 67 10% (solvent isopropanol) respectively. The samples further undergo rapid thermic aging and then, one set will undergo colorimetric testing in order to establish the degree of yellowing for each copolymer. Another set will undergo spectrometric FT-IR analysis in order to establish the degradation degree of the polymeric chains. The aim is also to compare the degree of water absorption for the wood samples treated with each of the two Paraloid resins. Also, the chromatic parameters and glossmetry values have been used as additional data in order to observe the degradation aspect of these samples.