{"product_id":"aquazol-200-1-kg","title":"Aquazol® 200 (1 kg)","description":"\u003ch2\u003eAquazol® 200 — The adhesive and consolidant you apply in one solvent and remove with another\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAquazol® 200 is a poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline): a linear, tertiary, thermoplastic polyamide that is soluble in water. It is not a cellulose ether like Klucel® G, nor an acrylic like Paraloid® B-72, and that is what decides how it is used — it dissolves in water as well as in ethanol, isopropanol or acetone, \u003cstrong\u003ebut not in acetates or hydrocarbons\u003c\/strong\u003e, so it can be applied in one solvent and removed with another. The number in the name is its target molecular weight, 200,000, declared by the manufacturer and never measured; it places the 200 as the compromise grade of the range: it penetrates reasonably and it bonds reasonably.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAquazol is manufactured by Polymer Chemistry Innovations (Arizona, USA) as a technical polymer for industrial use, and its documentation does not mention Conservation-Restoration (C\u0026amp;R) among the product's uses. The party that declares it for the sector is \u003cstrong\u003eC.T.S., who is the one that supplies it to us\u003c\/strong\u003e: their safety data sheet states verbatim «identified relevant uses: conservation restoration», and their technical data sheet is written for conservators. What supports its use on artworks is \u003cstrong\u003ethe published C\u0026amp;R literature\u003c\/strong\u003e — the Getty Conservation Institute tested it in 1994, and since then it has been documented by the WAAC newsletter (\u003cem\u003eWestern Association for Art Conservation\u003c\/em\u003e), the Universitat Politècnica de València, the journal \u003cem\u003eGe-conservación\u003c\/em\u003e and the Library of Congress. We say it this plainly because it is the information a conservator needs in order to decide, and because anyone can check it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is it used for?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is no single concentration: there is one per job. C.T.S. gives the range of industrial origin —\u003cstrong\u003e10 to 25 % in water\u003c\/strong\u003e— and the published literature goes considerably lower depending on the case. To improve penetration on non-polar surfaces such as oil paintings, C.T.S. recommends \u003cstrong\u003eadding around 10 % ethyl alcohol to the aqueous solution\u003c\/strong\u003e: this is an addition of ethanol to the water, not a 10 % solution in ethanol.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsolidating matt or powdery paint layers\u003c\/strong\u003e — at 1, 3 and 5 % w\/v (weight\/volume: grams per 100 ml) in propan-2-ol:water 1:1; at 5 % the finish stays matt (Castro Simarro, 2020).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFixing flaking paint on works that do not tolerate water\u003c\/strong\u003e — two Vietnamese portraits with highly soluble zinc sulfates were treated with Aquazol 200 at 2.5 % w\/v in propan-2-ol, chosen after ruling out eight other products (Ebert, Singer and Grimaldi, 2012).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRe-adhering polychromy and fixing layers\u003c\/strong\u003e where moderate adhesive forces are enough — this is the use C.T.S. declares in its technical data sheet.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWater gilding\u003c\/strong\u003e — removing animal glue residues with water is always a risk for the gilding; Aquazol residues are removed with acetone (C.T.S.).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCracked and lifting oil paint\u003c\/strong\u003e — 10-15 % in ethanol:water 90:10, flattening with a heated spatula (Arslanoglu, 2004).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePre-coated repair tissue for paper\u003c\/strong\u003e — 10 % w\/v in deionised water, reactivated with a tacking iron at about 95 °C for 5 seconds or with ethanol (Library of Congress and NARA, the \u003cem\u003eNational Archives and Records Administration\u003c\/em\u003e, 2019).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy choose Aquazol® 200?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt ages by depolymerising, not by cross-linking.\u003c\/strong\u003e In the Getty Conservation Institute test (Wolbers, McGinn and Duerbeck, 1994), after a dose equivalent to some 24 museum years the films were still fully re-soluble and free of gel fraction, because the polymer tends to depolymerise rather than cross-link. \u003cem\u003eThe condition travels with the figure: that test measured grades 50 and 500, not the 200.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eApplied in one solvent, removed with another.\u003c\/strong\u003e Water, ethanol, isopropanol, acetone, methanol, methyl ethyl ketone and methylene chloride — \u003cstrong\u003ebut not acetates or hydrocarbons\u003c\/strong\u003e. The literature points to this as one of its strengths (Arslanoglu, 2004) and C.T.S. turns it into protocol in its removal section.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClean composition: 99.9 % polymer and less than 0.1 % residual monomer.\u003c\/strong\u003e C.T.S. itself makes the argument: it is used «without having to introduce co-formulants with it, present in all emulsions or dispersions».\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt low humidity it does not turn rigid.\u003c\/strong\u003e Where animal gelatines harden and lose elasticity, Aquazol keeps it (C.T.S.).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt does not close the door to other adhesives\u003c\/strong\u003e (Arslanoglu, 2004). And the grades can be mixed together or applied in succession (C.T.S.); the literature gives the concrete move: the 200 first, to penetrate, and the 500 behind it, to bond (Arslanoglu, 2004).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhere it must not be used — the limits C.T.S. puts in writing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNot outdoors, and not where relative humidity can be expected to rise above 85 %.\u003c\/strong\u003e Beyond that it gels and loses adhesive and consolidating capacity. This is an express prohibition from C.T.S. in its technical data sheet, not a recommendation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnd the published literature is stricter still:\u003c\/strong\u003e the granulate starts to become tacky from \u003cstrong\u003e65 %\u003c\/strong\u003e relative humidity and the film from \u003cstrong\u003e70 %\u003c\/strong\u003e, with a recommendation not to exceed 65-70 % in uncontrolled environments (Muros, Cotsen Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, 2012). Gelling and becoming tacky are not the same thing, which is why both figures coexist. Margin can be bought with the solvent: film prepared in isopropanol:water 70:30 withstands five percentage points more relative humidity than the pure granulate.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt is not suitable for structural bonding.\u003c\/strong\u003e It must be avoided where the joint has to bear shear or tensile load from weight. It is a \u003cstrong\u003eweak adhesive\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the supplier itself places it: weaker than acrylics and vinylics, stronger than Klucel® G. The 200 bonds slightly less than the 500. Its place is where moderate adhesive forces are enough.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt is not soluble in acetates\u003c\/strong\u003e —ethyl, butyl and amyl acetate— \u003cstrong\u003enor in hydrocarbons\u003c\/strong\u003e, whether aliphatic or aromatic.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnpigmented or as a transparent glaze, there are better options\u003c\/strong\u003e for retouching: the very source that measured it advises against this (Jacqmin and Soldano, 2020). The intermediate case —a toned but barely covering glaze— has not been tested by anyone.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnd one institutional case that ruled it out:\u003c\/strong\u003e on the sarcophagus of Butehamon (Musei Vaticani, Prestipino \u003cem\u003eet al.\u003c\/em\u003e, 2015) Aquazol 200 at 10 % w\/v mobilised the blue colour and left a certain gloss; the study was resolved with three other materials, one of them Klucel® G. We would rather you got that fact from us.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhen Aquazol® 200 and when another material\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/innovart.art\/en\/products\/klucel-g-500-g\"\u003eKlucel® G (500 g)\u003c\/a\u003e — hydroxypropyl cellulose. It is the direct comparable: C.T.S., which distributes both, places Aquazol as the stronger of the pair. \u003cstrong\u003eKlucel® G when the finish has to stay very matt or the work has a plant-gum binder that water mobilises; Aquazol® 200 when a little more bond is needed, or the ability to choose the application solvent.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/innovart.art\/en\/products\/paraloid-b-72-1-kg\"\u003eParaloid® B-72 (1 kg)\u003c\/a\u003e — acrylic copolymer. C.T.S. places Aquazol as weaker than acrylic adhesives, and B-72 is one. \u003cstrong\u003eParaloid® B-72 when bond strength is needed or working with organic solvents is not a problem; Aquazol® 200 when the work tolerates neither water nor aggressive solvents, or when what you want is for the material to remain removable decades from now\u003c\/strong\u003e — the underlying difference between the two is the ageing mode, not the strength.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/innovart.art\/en\/products\/almidon-de-trigo-1-kg\"\u003eWheat starch (1 kg)\u003c\/a\u003e — the traditional standard for paper, and nobody disputes it. \u003cstrong\u003eStarch when water is not the problem; Aquazol® 200 when it is\u003c\/strong\u003e —running ink, cockling support—, because it can be applied in alcohol and reactivated with heat or with ethanol. No published test pits the two against each other with figures.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003ePresentation and storage\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePresentation: \u003cstrong\u003e1 kg pack\u003c\/strong\u003e (C.T.S. supplies this material in 1 kg and 5 kg)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSolid granulate, \u003cstrong\u003elight yellow in colour\u003c\/strong\u003e, which is the manufacturer's specification\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKeep the container \u003cstrong\u003etightly closed\u003c\/strong\u003e, in a \u003cstrong\u003ecool, dry, ventilated place\u003c\/strong\u003e, between \u003cstrong\u003e5 and 35 °C\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProtect it from moisture.\u003c\/strong\u003e Once opened, close it carefully and store the container upright\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKeep it away from \u003cstrong\u003estrong oxidisers\u003c\/strong\u003e and from \u003cstrong\u003estrongly acidic or alkaline materials\u003c\/strong\u003e, and out of contact with food\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNeither the manufacturer nor the distributor declares an expiry date.\u003c\/strong\u003e What they do declare is that the product is \u003cstrong\u003echemically stable under normal handling and storage conditions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAquazol® is a registered trademark of Polymer Chemistry Innovations, Inc. (Tucson, Arizona, USA). We supply it in the original 1 kg container through C.T.S. España, reference 01162801.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFrequently asked questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"innv-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eShould I order the 200 or the 500?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"innv-faq__a\"\u003eThe only thing that changes between grades is chain length: target molecular weight 200,000 against 500,000, with the same polydispersity —how much the chains vary in size relative to one another— and a kinematic viscosity of 18-24 against 60-80 centistokes. C.T.S. translates this to the bench: the 200 «to lightly reinforce the surface», the 500 only «if the porosity is notable or the cracks are large enough to allow entry». And the literature gives the decision rule: porous or powdery material, the 200, to ensure penetration; more rigid or thicker material, the 500 (Arslanoglu, 2004). They can be mixed or applied in succession, and there is a published equivalence: the 200 at 10 % and the 500 at 5 % gave the same result in pre-coated repair tissue for paper (Library of Congress and NARA, 2019).\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eWhat concentration should I prepare? And why do I get lumps?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"innv-faq__a\"\u003eC.T.S. gives the industrial range: \u003cstrong\u003e10 to 25 % in water\u003c\/strong\u003e. The literature goes much lower depending on the job — 1-5 % w\/v to consolidate matt tempera paint, 2.5 % to fix flaking, 10 % for pre-coated tissue, around 33 % as a starting point for retouching. A documented studio practice is to prepare a 20 % stock solution and dilute it at the moment of use (Arslanoglu, 2004). On non-polar surfaces such as oil, C.T.S. recommends \u003cstrong\u003eadding around 10 % ethyl alcohol to the aqueous solution\u003c\/strong\u003e so that it penetrates better: ethanol is added to the water, the product is not dissolved in ethanol. And the lumps are a matter of scheduling, not of the product: it dissolves slowly, stirring helps, but it is best to \u003cstrong\u003eprepare the solution one or two days before\u003c\/strong\u003e using it.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eWhat is it removed with? Is water alone enough?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"innv-faq__a\"\u003eIt is removed with \u003cstrong\u003ethe same solvent it was applied in\u003c\/strong\u003e; then water, or a mixture of alcohol and water; and if speed is needed, \u003cstrong\u003eacetone\u003c\/strong\u003e, which is the route C.T.S. proposes and the one that worked best in the published tests. \u003cstrong\u003eWater alone is the slowest of the four\u003c\/strong\u003e —against all intuition, the order of re-solubility does not follow polarity (Wolbers, 1994; Arslanoglu, 2003)— and on a dry film it tends to smear the resin. It helps to use a mop-type swab rather than a cotton bud, which is less abrasive.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eCan it be consolidated with heat?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"innv-faq__a\"\u003eYes: it is a thermoplastic polymer and C.T.S. covers this expressly — with a heated spatula, or with a hot table and simultaneous vacuum. The glass transition temperature is 69-71 °C, a figure declared for the whole Aquazol range and not measured on grade 200. Heat also reactivates pre-coated tissue: tacking iron at about 95 °C for 5 seconds (Library of Congress and NARA, 2019).\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eMy granulate arrived yellow. Is it spoiled? And does it yellow over time?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"innv-faq__a\"\u003eIt is not spoiled: \u003cstrong\u003ethe manufacturer specifies Aquazol as a light yellow granulate\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the shade varies from batch to batch within that specification. On ageing, the short answer does not exist in either direction. \u003cstrong\u003eWithout ultraviolet, the colour holds up very well\u003c\/strong\u003e: as a free film the 200 even lightens, well ahead of gelatine, funori and JunFunori (Pastor Valls, thesis, Universitat Politècnica de València, 2014). \u003cstrong\u003eWith unfiltered ultraviolet, it stops holding up.\u003c\/strong\u003e And there is one control in your hands: if you are going to work over a light tone, check the colour of the solution before committing it to the artwork.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eDoes it work as a retouching medium?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"innv-faq__a\"\u003ePigmented and as an opaque film, yes, and well: it is among the most stable tested, alongside Klucel® G (Jacqmin and Soldano, 2020). \u003cstrong\u003eFor a transparent glaze there are better options\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the very source that measured it advises against it. The intermediate case —a toned but barely covering glaze, which is the one most used— has not been tested by anyone, and we are telling you that too.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eWho declares this material for restoration?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"innv-faq__a\"\u003eThe manufacturer produces it as a technical polymer and does not name restoration among its uses: \u003cstrong\u003ethe one who declares it for conservation restoration is C.T.S., the distributor that supplies it to us\u003c\/strong\u003e, and what backs it up on artworks is the published literature of the sector, from the Getty test of 1994 onwards. It is a distinction we prefer to put up front.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eIs it hazardous? Do I need gloves and a mask?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"innv-faq__a\"\u003eIt is not classified as hazardous under Regulation (EC) 1272\/2008: no pictogram, no signal word and no hazard statements. All three safety data sheets in the chain declare it this way. Nor is it dangerous goods for transport by road, rail, sea, air or inland waterway. The manufacturer indicates that under normal conditions of use no personal protective equipment is required; the only real precaution is the \u003cstrong\u003edust from the granulate\u003c\/strong\u003e when weighing or decanting: adequate ventilation and, if dust is generated, safety goggles and a dust mask.\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAny questions?\u003c\/strong\u003e Write to us on \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/wa.me\/34614504565\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eWhatsApp\u003c\/a\u003e, visit \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/innovart.art\"\u003einnovart.art\u003c\/a\u003e or email us at \u003ca href=\"mailto:info@innovart.art\"\u003einfo@innovart.art\u003c\/a\u003e and we will advise you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cstyle\u003e.innv-faq{margin-top:8px;}.innv-faq details{border:1px solid #e5e2dc;border-radius:8px;margin:0 0 10px;background:#fff;}.innv-faq summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;padding:14px 46px 14px 16px;position:relative;font-weight:700;}.innv-faq summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none;}.innv-faq summary::after{content:'+';position:absolute;right:16px;top:50%;transform:translateY(-50%);font-size:1.4em;line-height:1;color:#00494f;}.innv-faq details[open] summary::after{content:'\\2013';}.innv-faq details[open] summary{border-bottom:1px solid #efece6;}.innv-faq summary:hover{background:#faf8f5;}.innv-faq__a{padding:12px 16px 16px;margin:0;}\u003c\/style\u003e","brand":"CTS","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53793086341467,"sku":null,"price":85.84,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0954\/8441\/2251\/files\/aquazol-200-1-kg.jpg?v=1786822288","url":"https:\/\/innovart.art\/en\/products\/aquazol-200-1-kg","provider":"Innovart","version":"1.0","type":"link"}