Investigating the effect of oil binders on the paper supports via statistical analysis

Abstract Condition assessment of works of art created using oil paints and traditional oil-based inks on paper is inherently complex, particularly when damage results from the absorption of oil binders into the paper support. Recent studies have investigated the effects of three linseed oil formulations on the optical, mechanical, morphological, and chemical properties of one pure cellulosic and two alkaline buffered wood-based papers, using oil-impregnated mock-ups subjected to accelerated humid-thermal ageing in air-tight vessels. The resulting dataset comprised colourimetry, opacity, tensile strength, pH measurements, FTIR spectroscopy, and GC-MS analysis of VOC emissions. Given the extensive and multidimensional nature of the dataset, multivariate statistical analysis, including analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), was applied to assess the influence of ageing time, paper type, and oil formulation. The results reveal markedly different ageing behaviours between paper supports, as well as both common and formulation-specific trends among the oils.