Are cellulose ethers safe for the conservation of artwork? New insights in their VOC activity by means of Oddy testing

Steger, Simon; Eggert, Gerhard; Horn, Wolfgang; Krekel, Christoph

doi:10.1186/s40494-022-00688-4

Heritage Science

Table 1 Comparison of the tested commercial cellulose ether products

From: Are cellulose ethers safe for the conservation of artwork? New insights in their VOC activity by means of Oddy testing

Product name	Supplier	Date of purchase	Type	Viscosity	MW	O	Ag	Cu	Pb	Corrosion product	Additional information	Batch/product no.
Klucel® E	Deffner (Hercules)	unknown	HPC	7 (2%)	80,000	T	P	P	T	not identified		2,440,010
Klucel® E	Deffner (Ashland)	09.2021	HPC	7 (2%)	80,000	T	P	P	T	Massicot, hydrocerussite, basic lead acetate	MS: 2.0–4.1	2,440,010
Klucel® E	Kremer (Ashland)	11.2021	HPC	7 (2%)	80,000	T	P	P	T	Litharge, hydrocerussite, plumbonacrite, basic lead acetate	MS: 2.0–4.1	63,700
Klucel® G	GMW (Ashland)	03.2017	HPC	125–450 (2%)	370,000	P	P	P	P		MS: 2.0–4.1
Klucel® G	Deffner (Ashland)	08.2021	HPC	125–450 (2%)	370,000	T	P	P	T	Massicot, hydrocerussite, basic lead acetate	MS: 2.0–4.1
Klucel® G	Kremer (Ashland)	11.2021	HPC	125–450 (2%)	370,000	T	P	P	T	Litharge, hydrocerussite, basic lead acetate	MS: 2.0–4.1	63,706
Klucel® G IND	Ashland	11.2021	HPC	125–450 (2%)	370,000	T	P	P	T	Litharge, hydrocerussite, basic lead acetate	MS: 2.0–4.1
Klucel® GF	Ashland	11.2021	HPC	125–450 (2%)	370,000	T	P	P	T	Litharge, plumbonacrite	MS: 2.0–4.1
Klucel® GF Pharm	Ashland	11.2021	HPC	125–450 (2%)	370,000	P	P	P	P		MS: 2.0–4.1
Klucel® M	Deffner	unknown	HPC	3500–7500 (2%)	850,000	F	P	T	F	Cuprite; massicot, hydrocerussite, plumbonacrite, basic lead acetate	MS: 2.0–4.1
Klucel® M	Deffner (Ashland)	09.2021	HPC	3500–7500 (2%)	850,000	P	P	P	P		MS: 2.0–4.1	2,440,210
Klucel® M	Kremer (Ashland)	11.2021	HPC	3500–7500 (2%)	850,000	P	P	P	P		MS: 2.0–4.1	63,710
Klucel® H	Kremer	09.2021	HPC	30,000 (2%)	1,150,000	P	P	P	P		MS: 2.0–4.1	63,712
Klucel® L	Hercules	21.01.2000	HPC	65–175 (5%)	95,000	T	P	P	T	Hydrocerussite, basic lead acetate
Klucel® MF	Hercules	12.04.2006	HPC	4000–6500 (2%)	850,000	F	P	F	F	Cuprite; massicot, hydrocerussite, lead formate		66,534
Klucel® JF	Kremer (Hercules)	unknown	HPC	150–400 (5%)	140,000	F	P	F	F	Cuprite; massicot, hydrocerussite, basic lead acetate
Klucel® 99E	Aqualon (Hercules)	22.04.1994	HPC	unknown		T	P	P	T	Hydrocerussite, basic (?) lead acetate
Klucel® 99L	Aqualon (Hercules)	unknown	HPC	unknown		T	P	P	T	Massicot, hydrocerussite, basic lead acetate
Natrosol 250 MHBR	Hercules	05.03.2004	HEC	1000–1500 (1%)		F	P	P	F	Massicot, hydrocerussite, basic (?) lead acetate	DS: 1.5
Natrosol 250 HHX	Hercules	05.03.2007	HEC	3500–5000 (1%)	1,300,000	P	P	P	P		DS: 1.5
Tylose® H 100,000 YP2	Shin Etsu	11.2016	HEC	4200–5500 (1%)		T	P	P	T	Massicot, hydrocerussite, basic(?) lead acetate	Min. 88% active substance; glyoxal < 0.01%
Tylose® MH 300 G4	Clariant	05.2000	HEC	unknown		P	P	P	P
Hydroxyethylcelluose	Fluka	unknown	HEC	unknown		F	P	T	F	Cuprite, tenorite; massicot, plumbonacrite, basic lead acetate, lead acetate trihydrate
Ethylcellulose ET 200	Kremer	17.11.2015	EC	150–250 (5% 80/20 toluene/ethanol)		F	P	P	F	Massicot, litharge, hydrocerussite, basic lead acetate	Ethoxy content 40.6–51.5%	63,720
Methyl cellulose	Sigma	08.2021	MC	3500–5600 (2%)		T	P	P	T	Massicot, litharge, hydrocerussite		M0512-100G Lot#SLC65985
Methocel® A4M	Deffner (Dow)	09.2021	MC	4000 (2%)	86,000	P	P	P	P		Methoxyl content 27.5–31.5%; max. 1.5% NaCl	2,440,310
Methocel® A4M	Dow	12.1997	MC	4000 (2%)	86,000	P	P	P	P		Methoxyl content 27.5–31.5%; max. 1.5% NaCl	JG17012N01
Methocel® A4MFG	Dow	10.2003	MC	4000 (2%)	86,000	P	P	P	P		Methoxyl content 27.5–31.5%; max. 1.5% NaCl
Methocel® A15C	Dow	06.1992	MC	1500 (2%)		P	P	P	P		Methoxyl content 27.5–31.5%	90,111,401
Methocel® A4C	Dow	06.1992	MC	400 (2%)	41,000	P	P	P	P		Methoxyl content 27.5–31.5%	91,032,901
Culminal® MC 15 S	Hercules	unknown	MC	10–20 (2%)		F	P	T	F	Cuprite; massicot, hydrocerussite, plumbonacrite, lead formate	Methoxyl content 24–32%
Culminal® MC 25 S	Aqualon (Hercules)	1992	MC	25–35 (2%)		P	P	P	P		Methoxyl content 24–32%	9298
Culminal® MC 7000 PF	Hercules	04.2005	MC	7000–9500 (2%)		P	P	P	P		Methoxyl content 24–32%
Benecel A4M	Deffner (Ashland)	09.2021	MC	2700–5000 (2%)		P	P	P	P		Max. 0.8% NaCl	2,440,310
Benecel A4C	Kremer (Ashland)	09.2021	MC	320–480 (2%)		P	P	P	P		Methoxyl content 27.5–31.5%, max. 0.8% NaCl	63,682
Benecel M043	Hercules	unknown	MC	3800–5700 (2%)		P	P	P	P			VK-4297
Metolose® SM-15	Shin Etsu	unknown	MC	15 (2%)	45,000	T	P	T	T	Cuprite; litharge, hydrocerussite
Benecel ME 233 P Pharm	Deffner (Ashland)	09.2021	MHEC	3100–5700 (2%)		P	P	P	P
Tylose® MH 50	Hoechst	unknown	MHEC	unknown		T	P	T	T	Cuprite; litharge, hydrocerussite, basic lead acetate
Tylose® MH 50 G4	Kremer (Shin Etsu)	09.2021	MHEC	150–250 (2.85%)		P	P	P	P		Min. 89.2% active substance; max. 10% moisture; max. 0.8% NaCl	63,642
Tylose® MH 300	Kremer	unknown	MHEC	150–450 (2%)		P	P	P	P			6360
Tylose® MH 300 Klebstoff	Klug Conservation	unknown	MHEC	150–450 (2%)		P	P	P	P		Contains methyl 4-hydroxy benzoate (0.07%), propyl 4-hydroxy benzoate (0.03%)	0203
Tylose® MH 300 P2	Kremer	09.2021	MHEC	320–520 (2%)		P	P	P	P		Min. 91.5% active substance; max. 7% moisture; max. 1.5% NaCl	63,600
Tylose® MH 1000 P2	Clariant	12.1997	MHEC	unknown		P	P	P	P			611,270,030
Tylose® MH 1000 P2	Kremer	09.2021	MHEC	1000–1700 (2%)		P	P	P	P		Min. 88.5% active substance; max. 10% moisture; max. 1.5% NaCl	63,610
Tylose® MH 30000 YP4	Kremer (Shin Etsu)	09.2021	MHEC	20,000–27,000 (2%)		T	P	T	T	Cuprite; massicot, hydrocerussite, lead formate	Min. 92.5% active substance; max. 6% moisture; max. 1.5% NaCl	63,663
Culminal® MHPC 400	Aqualon (Hercules)	unknown	MHPC	400–550 (2%)		P	P	P	P		Methoxyl content 24–32%; hydroxypropyl content 2–25%
Methocel® E5 Premium LV	Dow	11.02.2000	MHPC	5 (2%)		T	P	P	T	Hydrocerussite	Methoxyl content 28–30%; Hydroxypropoxyl content 7–12%
Methocel® E15FG	Dow	11.2003	MHPC	15 (2%)		P	P	P	P		Methoxyl content 28–30%; hydroxypropoxyl content 7–12%
Methocel® K4MFG	Dow	10.2003	MHPC	4000 (2%)		T	P	T	T	Cuprite; hydrocerussite	Methoxyl content 19–24%; hydroxypropyl content 7–12%
Culminal® MHPC 20000 P	Deffner (Ashland)	09.2021	MHPC	20,000–27,500 (2%)		P	P	P	P			2,440,510
Culminal® MHPC 20000 P	Hercules	04.2005	MHPC	20,000–27,500 (2%)		P	P	P	P		Methoxyl content 24–32%; hydroxypropyl content 2–25%
Cekol® 700	Kremer (CP Kelco)	09.2021	Na-CMC	400–1000 (2%)	270,000	P	P	P	P		Min. 99.5% purity; DS: 0.60–0.95; Sodium rate: 7.5–9.0%	63,641
Tylose® C6000	Kremer (Hoechst)	unknown	Na-CMC	unknown		T	P	P	T	Massicot, hydrocerussite, anglesite
Blanose® ref CMC 7M65	Deffner (Ashland)	09.2021	Na-CMC	3000–6500 (2%)		P	P	P	P		Min. 99.5% purity; DS: 0.65–0.90; Sodium rate: 7.0–8.9%	2,440,810
Blanose® 7M31 CF	Aqualon (Hercules)	1992	Na-CMC	1500–3100 (2%)		P	P	P	P		DS: 0.65–0.90; Sodium rate: 7.0–8.9%	22–6371
Blanose® 7LF	Aqualon (Hercules)	1992	Na-CMC	25–50 (2%)	90,000	T	P	P	T	Hydrocerussite	DS: 0.65–0.90; Sodium rate: 7.0–8.9%	21–5215
Blanose® 7H4Xf	Aqualon (Hercules)	1992	Na-CMC	2500–4500 (1%)		T	P	P	T	Anglesite	DS: 0.65–0.90; Sodium rate: 7.0–8.9%	21–4617
Blanose® 12M31PD	Aqualon (Hercules)	1992	Na-CMC	2800 (2%)		P	P	P	P		DS: 1.15–1.45; Sodium rate: 10.5–12.0%	09–6575
Walocel CRT 10000 (9A)	Dow Wolff Cellulosics	unknown	Na-CMC	900–1500 (1%)		P	P	P	P		Min. 99.5% purity

Synthesis of the results and additional information on the products as provided by the manufacturers. Viscosity = Brookfield RVT (mPa s) 20 °C
MW molecular weight, DS degree of substitution, MS moles of substitution

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