Research
Thesis Project: Molecular Behavior of Acrylic Paints
Goals & Applications
Artists’ acrylic paints have been used for less than a century, and thus, much remains to be understood about their properties. My research examines the molecular properties of acrylic polymers in paint as a system of interest to art conservation. Specifically, the study aims to probe local molecular environments of acrylic polymers as a function of pigment concentration. Single-sided nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) offers a non-invasive and non-destructive means of analysis by utilizing inherent magnetic properties of a material. This technique measures behaviors, such as relaxation and self-diffusion, which provide insight to molecular mobility and local environments within paint samples. This study contributes to fundamental knowledge about the chemistry of acrylic paints that can inform the development of safe and effective conservation treatments.
Progress
I have studied the paint system via single-sided NMR, SEM, TGA, and XRF to characterize its chemical composition and physical properties as both wet and dry paint. My results revealed two local polymer environments in acrylic paint. Relaxation at these sites in dry paint was unchanged at different pigment concentrations. However, in wet paint, relaxation behavior did reveal a concentration dependence, suggesting chemical exchange occurs between the two molecular environments as paint dries. Current investigations will focus on the real-time kinetics of paint as it dries and its properties change.
Other Graduate Work: Non-Destructive Analysis of Epoxies
Goals & Applications
Epoxies are commonly used as adhesives in industrial and commercial projects. The security of the adhesive bond between materials is essential to assembly and safety. However, most current tests for adhesive strengths are physical and require pulling apart the bonded materials to confirm the adhesive was stable. The goal of this project is to non-destructively assess integrity of various epoxies and bonded materials. Ideally this would allow manufacturers to find defects without demolition of their work.
My Reflections on the Research Process
Experimentation
The concept of research was still somewhat ambiguous to me when I started graduate school. I had done experiments in academic labs but those are written out step-by-step and assigned because they are have known results. The science experiments I did as a kid helped instill curiosity but they weren't research. Experimental design in a research lab is something I didn't begin to comprehend until I stepped foot into one. When I arrived in the middle of a project, I jumped in by first learning how to use the instrumentation to collect data. As I followed the prescribed experiments my advisor requested, I tried to understand why we were doing those experiments, how we would use the collected data, and what results we expected. I soon was incorporated into the much broader endeavor of setting up experiments with systematic variability to create comparisons. I began to see the process at work: collecting data, viewing data, compiling data, comparing data... It was a trial and error process that we kept pushing forward to get new information.
Most importantly, I learned that the process hinged on asking questions. It was about asking the right questions to nail down what you want to find out. Then it was about designing the right experiment to make the discovery that would answer your question. This learning curve during my first months in a research lab, which was also my first semester of graduate school, opened my eyes to the possibility, struggle, critical thinking, and exploration that is research and the scientific method.
Data Processing
The biggest new skill I have gained in graduate school is MATLAB. While I am no where near proficient I have become increasingly familiar with the program through data analysis. I have been assigned analysis tasks that I did not know how to do, but struggling, pushing through, and overcoming those challenges helped me learn and made me feel accomplished. I am still learning the proper scripts and protocols for importing collected data into MATLAB and producing something meaningful. Troubleshooting my errors in MATLAB has helped me grow as a problem solver and scientist.
Communication of Results
My first semester courses, especially the introduction to graduate studies, helped me become a better science communicator. (They also showed me how much I enjoy communicating science to a range of audiences!) Through making numerous PowerPoints and rehearsing presentations, I practiced focusing on the big ideas to convey importance and applicability. As I started writing papers, I was given tips on how to make ideas flow and ensure the reader would understand my train of thought. The piece of advice that stuck with me most was to connect sentences to each other through repeated ideas. This technique taught me to avoid assuming knowledge and skipping steps. I believe it has made my science writing easier to comprehend and, thus, more impactful to more people.
Future Interests
In the future, I'd like to expand my research interests into the application of single-sided NMR to various materials important in cultural heritage such as porous materials and layered objects.
I am also interested in applying other techniques to analytical studies of art and cultural heritage. I would like to explore instrumentation including HPLC, Py-GC, FTIR, MS, and Raman for their various strengths and specializations.