The kinetics of metal soap crystallization in oil polymers.

The crystallization of metal soaps in oil paint is an important chemical phenomenon that affects the appearance and structural stability of many works of art. A deep understanding of the structural transitions that occur during crystallization and their kinetics will help to support conservation decisions that minimize future detrimental change to paintings. We have used a method based on attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and detailed spectrum analysis to quantitatively monitor all relevant metal soap structures during crystallization in a linseed oil matrix with varying degrees of polymerization.