Integrating materials chemistry and art for metallic art conservation and chemical education

CHED 1650

Tami Lasseter Clare, tclare@philamuseum.org1, Barbara A. Bassett, bbassett@philamuseum.org2, Beth A. Price1, and P. Andrew Lins, alins@philamuseum.org1. (1) Conservation Department, Philadelphia Museum of Art, P.O. Box 7646, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19101-7646, (2) Education Department, Philadelphia Museum of Art, P.O. Box 7646, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19101-7646
Art conservation is an intriguiging application of chemistry and forum for chemical education. In this Discovery Corps Fellowship, based at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA), applications of materials chemistry for protective clear-coats and a Chemistry of Art workshop, appropriate for high school chemistry students, are developed. Using the latest innovations in nanomaterials chemistry, low-cost, easily applied coatings are adapted and optimized for the conservation of architectural and sculptural metalwork of such metals as bronze and iron, for the purpose of improving upon the existing materials used by the international conservation community. The aim of the two-part workshop, the classroom based hands-on activity and the gallery tour, is to excite students, targeting underserved groups (e.g. Philadelphia public schools), about science using examples from art. The materials developed, compliant with State and National Academic Standards, will be published online, at www.philamuseum.org, for use by other art museum - high school chemistry partnerships.
 

Bridging Research and Service: The Discovery Corps Experience
1:30 PM-4:50 PM, Tuesday, March 27, 2007 McCormick Place North -- Room N229, Level 2, Oral

Division of Chemical Education

The 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007