Evidence for the catalytic properties of ultramarine pigment

Ultramarine blue paint layers in oil paintings can be affected by ultramarine ‘disease’ or ‘sickness’: a phenomenon described by a grey appearance and a loss of detail in the artwork. An explanation for this phenomenon is an interaction between the organic binder network and ultramarine pigment, with the pigment acting as a catalyst for the breakdown of the network. This breakdown results in micro-cracks in the paint film, which influences the appearance of the artwork. To investigate the possible catalytic property of ultramarine pigment, a test reaction – the dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether – was carried out, with and without ultramarine pigment present in a micro-reactor with in-line gas chromatography mass spectrometry. It was observed that a higher yield of dimethyl ether was obtained in the presence of ultramarine pigment, confirming that ultramarine pigment possesses catalytic properties similar to commercial zeolitic silica-alumina catalysts.