Mobile single-sided NMR spectroscopy in the chemistry curriculum of Liberal Arts and Fine Arts majors

CHED 379

Eleonora Del Federico, edelfede@pratt.edu1, Silvia Centeno2, Licio Isolani, lisolani@PRATT.DU3, Jacob Newman, jacob.newman@nyu.edu4, and Alexej Jerschow, alexej.jerschow@nyu.edu4. (1) Department of Mathematics and Science, Pratt Institute, 200 Willoughby Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205, (2) Department of Scientific Research, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10003-6656, (3) Department of Fine Arts, Pratt Institute, 200 Willoughby Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205, (4) Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY 10003
We are presently developing single-sided, low field NMR experiments and research experiences for liberal arts and fine arts undergraduate students as part of their Chemistry in Art Curriculum. Routine low field NMR measurements involve relaxation experiments which are related to molecular mobility. For example, pore water within a fresco painting matrix will experience a faster relaxation time than free water. A change of relaxation properties is observed upon cross-linking of linseed oil and the degradation of paint samples that are artificially aged. It is also possible to look at a relaxation profile of paintings and non-destructively distinguish paint layers, varnish, ground and support. Students are an integral part of these explorations, they prepare the samples and run the NMR experiments as we aid with interpretation and implementation in of the experiments in the classroom and possibly in new Art Conservation Methodology.
 

Undergraduate Chemistry for Liberal Arts Students
8:30 AM-11:20 AM, Tuesday, August 21, 2007 Seaport -- Flagship Room, Oral

Division of Chemical Education

The 234th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 19-23, 2007