Historical oil paintings undergo complex chemical transformations as they age, triggering the production of a wide variety of metal carboxylates within the paint films. Metal soaps and oxalates are two metal carboxylate types known to irreversibly modify an oil painting’s physical, chemical, and aesthetic properties, often threatening its long-term conservation. Fundamental aspects of the metal carboxylate-mediated degradation of such paintings are still poorly understood. For instance, certain ionic phenomena involving metal soaps and oxalates, suspected to alter oil paint films, have not been explored.
The EEHOP project (Electromagnetic Exploration of Historical Oil Paintings) is an interdisciplinary research project that will investigate how ionic dissociation, exchange, and migration processes occurring between metal soaps and oxalates are correlated to a film’s electrical properties, chemical composition and ambient relative humidity. To do so, we will innovatively introduce a wideband electromagnetic characterization methodology in the heritage oil paint research field. We aim to determine how an oil film’s electrical complex permittivity evolves with aging and changes in chemical composition, or water content due to relative humidity fluctuations. By such an approach we hope to be able to probe the ionic exchange and migration processes between metal soaps and oxalates via the detected variation of the film’s electrical properties at various humidity rates.
The EEHOP project will push forward the boundaries of the current knowledge on historical oil paint degradation mechanisms. These advancements will help improving oil painting preventive conservation and restoration policies to minimize the carboxylate-induced causes of their degradation and thus strongly contribute to the long-term stability and conservation of the vast cultural heritage constituted by historical oil painting collections, both in Belgium and abroad.
Research Field Chemistry » Analytical chemistry
Education Level Master Degree or equivalent
Research Field Chemistry » Organic chemistry
Education Level Master Degree or equivalent
Skills/Qualifications
To achieve its research objectives, the EEHOP project is looking for a doctoral researcher with the following profile:
Specific Requirements
CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT
The appointment is subject to the candidate completing a doctoral thesis under the co-supervision of the two EEHOP project co-promoters. To this end, the candidate will be awarded a doctoral scholarship. At the end of a 4-year thesis, a doctorate in engineering sciences may be awarded by the Université catholique de Louvain.
Languages ENGLISH
Level Good
Languages FRENCH
Level Basic
Research Field Chemistry » Organic chemistry
Selection process
HOW TO APPLY ?
Applications must be emailed to Prof. Isabelle Huynen (isabelle.huynen@uclouvain.be) and Dr. Francisco Mederos-Henry (francisco.mederos@kikirpa.be ). They must include a motivation and a recommendation letter as well as a detailed CV demonstrating the presence of the required skills.
Number of offers available 1
Company/Institute Université catholique de Louvain
Country Belgium
City Louvain-la-Neuve
Postal Code 1348
Street place du Levant 3
E-mail isabelle.huynen@uclouvain.be
City Louvain-la-Neuve
Website http://www.uclouvain.be/icteam
Street Place du Levant, 3
Postal Code 1348
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