Cadmiums selfdestructing?

[stagfoot]

Will cadmiums destroy their binders when they get to be over eighty years old?

"There is evidence that cadmium sulfphide by virtue of its semi-conductor properties can promote degradation of organic binders by processes similar to those known to occur for Tio2 and Zno."

I found this at
www.amolf.nl/research/biomacromolecular_mass_spectrometry/molart/cadmium.html

The study is a few years ago has any one heard any more about this?

[stagfoot]

Odd the links not working, try the first post at google under; cadmium molart.

[Luzie]

I am really not worried about that...I'll let the museum come up with a solution how to fix my paintings after I have kicked the (paint) bucket:D :D

but seriously...I haven't heard of it but who knows...EINION...LOL

[guillot]

Wow, don't know, but there are many paintings over 80 years old that include cadmiums and they are still intact. So, I don't know about the soundness of this report. ;)

Tina

[xavier]

Perhaps you should contact a company that actually makes them.
I order some cadmiums from Utrecht .They manufacture their
paints in their Brooklyn N.Y. plant .They also have a web site. Good luck,I'll check back with you in 80 years!:D

[painterbert]

Hey a very nice setup. I think a copyright expires 75 years after your death, so the picture crumbles after the copyright expires.

[miked]

Originally posted by painterbert
Hey a very nice setup. I think a copyright expires 75 years after your death, so the picture crumbles after the copyright expires.

Ah! The missing factor I needed to understand paint film degradation: Murphy's law! :D

BTW, the link will work if you put a capital C in Cadmium in the link. The right link is:

http://www.amolf.nl/research/biomacromolecular_mass_spectrometry/molart/Cadmium.html

I don't see an actual research paper there though. A lot of the MOLART studies seem to be ongoing. If anyone finds a full paper on the subject, let me know.

[mirza]

This is the sentence in that abstract I took note of:

It appears from their survey that alteration in paints containing cadmium red or yellow pigments are not widely reported, and these pigments are generally regarded as stable. Poor durability seems to be restricted to the early history of the pigment before ca. 1920.

It may have to do with manufacturing processes or the problems of "early adopters." In his book Bright Earth Philip Ball says

...the compound that now goes under the name of cadmium red was not available as a commercial product until 1910. The Bayer chemical company developed a more reliable and economical means of producing it in 1919.

So, I think no worries my friend.

[mirza]

Bright Earth, by the way, is an immensely informative, interesting, and readable book about pigments and dyes and their effects on art, fashion, chemistry, pharmacology, business--you get the idea.

Bright Earth by Philip Ball at amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0226036286/qid=1063390614/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/102-5593265-4720958)

It's also widely available used.

[stagfoot]

Thank you for all your responses.

I must admit I found the claims from molart slightly confusing.
Cadmium yellow was used by millais in 1855,whistler used two shades from 1864 and by most impressionists in the 1880s and as far as I know they're not falling apart.
Maybe if its mixed with lead white it doesn't show those properties.
They also claimed it occurred to titanium and zinc white so I wont tempt the fates by mixing it with those whites, which I hardly use any way.
I do recall reading something about cadmiums chalking like titanium in outdoor exposure, I wonder if thats part of the same phenomenon? And cadmiums fading in humid conditions could that be related also?
Hopefully the risk is now reduced due to better production.
:)

[guillot]

WOW....

technical overload............... :D Not just from here, but from my job too! I would say, hmm, well, maybe they weren't used properly? Maybe the "rules of engagement" weren't followed in those paintings that are falling apart, as in Fat over lean, etc.? Geesh...............don't know :confused:

Tina