bloom (clouding condition)

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Scope note
A waxy, cloudy or powdery haze that appears on the surface of paint, varnish, leather, ink, metal, plastic, or other materials. Bloom may be due to the deposit of atmospheric pollutants such as ammonium sulfate; for varnish, it may be caused by trapped or condensed moisture often due to varnish application in humid conditions, or due to wax-based media; for paint it may be caused by exudation of organic salts formed by reactions of the oils components with pigments or driers; for plastic, rubber or ink, it may be caused by exudation of additives or unreacted monomers; for leather, it may be caused by ellagic acid crystallization after tanning with some pyrogallol type vegetable tannins; for metal, it may be caused by trace impurities that crystallize on the surface after casting; for a photographic plate, it may be caused by dried residues from tap water. It is distinguished from "blanching" which is the milky appearance of resinous or oily film following application of a solvent.
bloom
Accepted term: 02-Dec-2024