Aquazol

Aquazol is one of the few synthetic resins that dissolves in both water and ethanol and remains reversible years later. This is why it has been used in conservation since the 1990s: it is used to consolidate a fragile layer, to adhere, and as a medium for reintegration, without closing the door to further intervention later on.

Chemically, it is poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline), PEOX (CAS 25805-17-8). It is not a polyvinylpyrrolidone: it is a different chemical family. It is an amorphous, pH-neutral polymer with no defined melting point. It is manufactured by Polymer Chemistry Innovations (Tucson, Arizona) as a technical polymer for industrial use, and its documentation does not mention conservation-restoration among the product's uses: what supports its use on artworks is the published literature of the field, starting with the Getty Conservation Institute study of 1994.

We supply it in two grades —200 and 500— both in 1 kg containers. The grade does not change what Aquazol is; it changes the molecular weight, and with it how much it penetrates and how much cohesion the final film has.

What is it used for?

• Consolidation of powdery or poorly cohesive pictorial layers, used at low concentration.
• Adhesion of fragments and light fastenings (depending on grade and concentration).
• Reintegration / retouching medium — as a binder for pigment.
• Precoated repair tissue for paper — at 10 % weight/volume in deionised water, reactivated with heat or with ethanol (Library of Congress and NARA, 2019).

On paper, canvas, panel, mural and polychrome sculpture, and always in a controlled humidity environment. Our supplier C.T.S. prohibits it in writing outdoors and above 85 % relative humidity, where it gels and loses adhesive and consolidating capacity; the published literature lowers the threshold to 65-70 % in uncontrolled environments (Muros, Cotsen Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, 2012). Much mural painting sits in crypts or unheated churches: if that is your case, ask us first.

Why choose Aquazol?

• Dual solubility — water and ethanol. You choose the solvent according to what the artwork tolerates, without changing products.
• Excellent reversibility, and measured. In the Getty Conservation Institute study (1994), after a dose equivalent to some 24 years of museum exposure the films were still completely resoluble — that study measured grades 50 and 500, not 200. It is removed with the same solvent it was applied in; then water or an alcohol-water mixture; and if you need to work fast, acetone, which is the route C.T.S. recommends and the one that performed best in the published tests. Water alone is the slowest of the four and on a dry film it tends to smear the resin.
• Real versatility. The same container can be used for consolidating, adhering, and retouching just by changing the concentration.
• Colour behaviour, measured. Without ultraviolet it holds up very well — in a free film the 200 even lightens (Pastor Valls, doctoral thesis, Universitat Politècnica de València, 2014). Under unfiltered ultraviolet it does not. If you are working over a light tone, check the colour of the solution before committing it to the artwork.

The two grades: when to choose each one

Regarding maximum penetration: for deep consolidation of a very compact or very disintegrated support, the grade to use is 50 (lowest molecular weight, most penetration). We supply it on request in 100 g, 500 g and 1 kg from the Aquazol® by Kremer page. In the vast majority of cases, 200 worked at a low concentration (2.5–5%) penetrates sufficiently.

Working concentrations, each with its source

There is no single concentration: there is one per job. The industrial range comes from our supplier C.T.S.; the rest come from the published literature and carry their own source.

Always start at the lowest concentration and increase only if the treatment calls for it: the literature measures that several dilute applications work better than a single concentrated one. And on non-polar surfaces such as oil paint, C.T.S. recommends adding around 10 % ethyl alcohol to the aqueous solution — that is an addition of ethanol to water, not a 10 % solution in ethanol.

Storage and warnings — read before buying

• Store sealed and with desiccant, in a dry place. Aquazol is hygroscopic: it absorbs moisture from the environment. A poorly sealed container will cause the solid to cake.
• If it arrives caked, write to us before using it. The manufacturer declares the product chemically stable under normal storage conditions, but says nothing about the caked solid and does not guarantee its properties in that state. We will sort it out.
• Prepare only the amount you intend to use. It dissolves slowly: it is worth preparing the solution a day or two before you need it.
• It is not ideal for works that will remain in high, uncontrolled relative humidity. At high HR, it softens and becomes sticky. For outdoor use, damp crypts, or unconditioned environments, consult us first.

Not sure if you need the 200 or 500 — or what concentration to use in your case? Contact us via WhatsApp at +34 614 50 45 65 and our technical team will confirm before you buy. You can also take the Aquazol test (4 questions) or read the complete guide to Aquazol grades.

Pre-order product — shipping in approx. 15 business days. Currently, we work with Aquazol by special order: upon confirming your purchase, a −10% pre-order discount is applied, and it is included in the next supplier order. As a special order product, the delivery time is approximately 15 business days (longer than for an in-stock product). We will confirm the estimated date when processing your order, and if you need it urgently, please contact us via WhatsApp before purchasing.