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.