CHED 679 |
| The main focus of the work has been to identify new materials than can help prevent deterioration of stone samples, by understanding how air pollution interacts with the material of our cultural resources and what can be done to minimize this interaction through the use of stone consolidants. Methyltriethoxygermane, dimethyldiethoxygermane, ethyltriethoxygermane and diethyldiethoxygermane have been used to synthesize and fully characterize alkoxygermane polymers. Successful polymer products, characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, have been used for consolidant testing. The consolidant is applied to the calcareous stone and a series of tests are run to quantify the effectiveness of the consolidant and the stone substrate with respect to artificial aging (QUV Weatherometer), color change (colorimetry), texture change (laser profilometry), and added or decreased strength (Versa-tester). The prepared alkoxygermanes were tested against two commonly used consolidants; Acryloid B-72 and Prosoco OH-100, and we are currently investigating their biocidal properties. |
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Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Polymer Chemistry
11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Monday, April 7, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Hall A, Poster
Division of Chemical Education |