Paraloid B-72

David Minatra

Name Variations

Acryloid B-72Until 1997

Paraloid B-72

Chemical Components

Copolymer•Ethyl Methacrylate•Methyl Methacrylate

Polymerization

Basic Info• Originally

produced by the Rohm & Haas company in 1950.

• Rohm & Haas was bought out by DOW in September of 2009.

Chemical InfoEthyl Methacrylate

• Molecular Formula C6H10O2

• Molecular Weight 114.14

• Boiling Point 117 C

• Melting Point -75 C

• Density 0.9135

Methyl Methacrylate• Molecular Formula

C5H8O2 CH2:C(CH3)COOCH3

• Molecular Weight 100.12 

• Boiling Point 100C (212F) 

• Melting Point -48C (-54F) 

• Density 0.944

Paraloid B-72• Weight Average Molecular Weight

65,128 Mw the most relevant average molecular weight is the total weight of polymer

divided by the number of polymer molecules• Number Average Molecular Weight

11,397 Mn replace the appearance of the number of polymers of molecular weight i or

Ni in the number average molecular weight formula with the weight of polymer having molecular weight i or NiMi

MN is the average Mi weighted according to number fractions and that MW is the average Mi weighted according to weight

fractions• Glass Transition Temperature (Tg)

40°C (104°F)• Density

.66g/cm^3• Ignition Temperature

393C• Not Really Applicable

Boiling Point Melting Point

Industrial Uses• Medium for flexible ink and aerosol

sprays• General purpose clear and pigmented

coatings for masonry and cloth• Finishing metal furniture and cabinets• Phosphorescent and luminescent

pigments.

Conservational Uses• Consolidant for paint both locally and

for overall impregnation of oil paintings and wall paintings

• Inpainting medium• Consolidant for wood, plaster, stone,

and ethnographic objects• Adhesive for ceramics and glass• Fixative for pencil, charcoal, and

chalk drawings and pastels

Fossil Preservation

References• Davidson, Amy; Alderson, Samantha; An Introduction to Solution

and Reaction Adhesives for Fossil Preparation; Methods In Fossil Preparation: Proceedings of the First Annual Fossil Preparation and Collections Symposium; pp 53-62; United States; 2009.

• Davidson, Amy; Alderson, Samantha; Assembling an Archival Marketing Kit for Paleontological Specimens; Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology; September 2006, 54A.

• Davidson, Amy; Removing Fossil Ribs: The Thread Technique; Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology; September 2008; 69A.

• Edenbaum, Jesse; Plastics Additives and Modifiers Handbook; Van Nostrand Reinhold: New York; 1992.

• Horie, Velson; Adhesives for Natural Science Specimens; Natural Science Collections Association News; 2009; issue 16.

• Koob, Stephen P.; The Use of Paraloid B-72 as an Adhesive: Its Application for Archaeological Ceramics and Other Materials; Studies in Conservation, Vol. 31, No. 1. (Feb., 1986), pp. 7-14.