Results
Three distinct phases during are observed after drier addition to
linseed oil: first, an initial induction period lasting one to two
hours; second, the autoxidation period during which low molecular weight
polymers form over the course of 3 to 14 hours; and third, a ripening
period during which the low molecular weight polymers crosslink over the
course of several days to months. During the induction period either no
change or a steady, wavelength-dependent increase in IR absorption is
observed. This induction period has been previously attributed to
oxidation of natural antioxidants in the oil (Orlova et al. 2021). For
the purposes of this study, only data from the autoxidation period was
included in the global analysis.