Time-lapse synchrotron X-ray diffraction to monitor conservation coatings for heritage lead in atmospheres polluted with oak-emitted volatile organic compounds

Highlights: • In situ SR-XRD testing of a natural coating for heritage lead. • An oak environment created within an eCell to study corrosion processes. • Semi-quantification of corrosion layer thickness using time-lapse SR-XRD data. • Identification of VOCs emitted from an oak sample using SPME-GCMS. - Abstract: We discuss the effectiveness of a lead tetradecanoate coating on lead to protect against harmful volatile organic compounds emitted from oak. The oak volatile organic compounds were characterized by GCMS and the major constituent was found to be acetic acid. Under the test conditions, the coating decreases the rate of corrosion by up to 75% compared to bare lead. The thickness of corrosion products on the sample was also calculated thus demonstrating the power of the time-lapse synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction technique to deliver a quantitative estimate of the effectiveness of the coating