School of Historical and Philosophical Studies - Research Publications

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    Identification of cellulose nitrate based adhesive repairs in archaeological pottery of the University of Melbourne's Middle Eastern archaeological pottery collection using portable FTIR-ATR spectroscopy and PCA
    Noake, E ; Lau, D ; Nel, P (BMC, 2017-01-19)
    A previous study of the Cypriot pottery collection housed in the Ian Potter Museum of Art at the University of Melbourne found approximately two-thirds of adhesive repairs are primarily composed of cellulose nitrate (CN). This is of concern as CN has a limited lifespan (6–20 years), which has implications for the strategic management of the collection. To gain a greater understanding of the prevalence of CN based adhesive repairs in the archaeological context, the original FTIR-ATR spectroscopic survey was extended to incorporate the University’s Middle Eastern archaeological pottery collection. Micro-samples were removed from artefacts using acetone swabs. Analysis of adhesive FTIR spectra identified CN to be present not only as the primary polymer in approximately one-tenth of repairs, but also as a secondary polymer in poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) and acrylic adhesive formulations, observed as a weak peak at ~1656 cm−1. CN’s secondary presence in PVAc adhesive formulations is demonstrated using principal component analysis (PCA) and the diphenylamine spot test for CN. Re-analysis of adhesive IR spectra from the Cypriot pottery collection found CN to be present as a secondary polymer in this collection as well. It is concluded a combined methodology of collecting and identifying FTIR-ATR spectra of adhesive repairs from archaeological pottery collections followed by PCA analysis bring to light adhesive formulations which can inform the management of pottery collections.
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    Tea: An Alternative Adsorbent for the Preservation of Cellulose Triacetate Film
    Nel, P ; Bell, J ; Newnham, M (Australian Institute for the Conversation of Cultural Material Inc, 2017)
    Cellulose triacetate (CTA) film, the main film base of the Twentieth Century, is inherently unstable, affected by autocatalytic deterioration through hydrolysis. The release of, and subsequent exposure to, acetic acid known as ‘vinegar syndrome’ accelerates deterioration, placing all cellulose acetate materials at risk or actively deteriorating. Preservation techniques rely on cold storage to slow deterioration or microenvironments with adsorbent materials to remove corrosives and/or pollutants. However, commercially available adsorbents can be expensive and difficult to access. This research investigated the potential for tea and tea waste to act as an alternative, low cost, accessible adsorbent for the preservation of CTA film. Adsorption capabilities of various tea varieties and treatments were compared with activated charcoal, silica gel and molecular sieves. Testing established tea as an effective adsorbent of water and acetic acid vapour, with an aversion to adsorption of the plasticiser dibutyl-phthalate. Use of tea waste also involves additional cost, sustainability and accessibility benefits along with lessened corrosive potential. These findings support tea as a potentially viable alternative adsorbent for the preservation of CTA film, requiring further research into optimum application systems.
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    A preliminary investigation into the influence of archaeological material on the yellowing of polyethylene storage bags
    Thompson, K ; Nel, P (Routledge, 2021)
    Concerns around the degradation of plastics have been part of conservation discourse for decades. The spotlight is usually on art and objects, and conservation and display materials, however it could be argued that a significant volume of the plastics in museums is associated with storage bags. This study asked whether the condition of plastic storage bags might be influenced by what is stored inside them. If specific materials can be identified as more likely to affect plastic degradation, museums may have a lead-indicator for efficiently monitoring storage risks. This case study developed a methodology for applying multivariate analysis to collected data to answer this question. A subset of polyethylene self-seal bags used to pack archaeological material from the ‘Casselden Place’ assemblage at Museums Victoria was evaluated. Objective data were combined with subjective assessment of bag degradation features gathered during a collection survey and interrogated using multivariate statistical analysis. Results indicate (1) different levels of yellowing are associated with particular plastic bag stocks and (2) ceramic, slate and tile finds are more likely than other materials to be contained within yellower bags. The research points to future enquiry and demonstrates this methodology shows promise for extension to other large cultural datasets.
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    Surveys of Plastics in Post-1950 Non-published Book Collections
    Chu, C ; Barrett, M ; Bunn, S ; Zilio, F ; Bell, J ; Nel, P (De Gruyter, 2023-03-03)
    Research over the past three decades has demonstrated that certain plastics in cultural materials are inherently unstable, displaying short lifespans and accelerating the degradation of neighbouring collection materials. Knowledge of the conservation of plastics is increasingly common in museum settings. However, less information is available on conserving plastics found in paper-based collections, and even less guidance on the materials and deterioration of plastic components found in book and document bindings. As plastics have been present in popular bookbinding materials since the mid-twentieth century, collection care professions require knowledge and methods for preserving these materials entering book collections. The aim of this paper is to determine strategies for the care of post-1950s books containing plastic. Collection surveys were conducted to determine the materials, structures, and degradation patterns of non-published books found in archive and archive-like settings at the South Australian Museum, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and the Grimwade Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation at the University of Melbourne. A methodology combining condition reporting and infrared spectroscopy identified six plastic polymers in 35 binding styles that are summarised as 10 binding types. Recommendations are made for the use of preventive storage strategies responding to four categories of damage.
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    Investigating the efficacy of interleaving materials in the preservation of plasticised PVC slip-cover notebooks in Yang Zhichao’s artwork Chinese Bible
    Chu, C ; Bunn, S ; Barrett, M ; Nel, P (Routledge, 2022-10)
    Plasticised poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-P) is known to degrade rapidly and emit acidic gases and, as such, it is ideally stored separately from other materials. However, due to historic or aesthetic value, PVC-P book covers in paper-based collections cannot always be removed or replaced. There is currently a gap in the literature addressing strategies for storing PVC-P associated with paper materials. Prompted by a case study of the Chinese artist Yang Zhichao’s Chinese Bible (2009)—a performance installation artwork of 3000 notebooks including approximately 1000 notebooks with PVC-P covers—three potential interleaving materials (Mylar®, Hollytex® and buffered tissue) were tested to simulate use during long-term storage. Notebooks and PVC-P book covers were purchased and assembled to model stacked storage conditions, and thermally aged at 70°C and 50% relative humidity for 130 days. Before and after ageing, samples were analysed using visual examination techniques, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, colourimetry and weighing. It was found that all three interleaving materials lowered the probability of ink offsetting. However, cover deformation and a blotchy surface haze were more commonly observed in interleaved samples compared to non-interleaved samples. More research is necessary to identify a suitable strategy to manage PVC-P degradation in close contact storage with paper materials. This study contributes to a better understanding of the storage of plastic-covered books that may be found in libraries and archives, highlighting the complexity of conserving plastic and paper composite materials.
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    Safe Storage? An Assessment of Polyethylene for the Storage of Heritage Objects
    Stuart, B ; Wong, S ; Goodall, R ; Beale, A ; Chu, C ; Nel, P ; Amin-Jones, H ; Thomas, P (ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, 2023-08-18)
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    Collaborative Development of Polymer-Based Collection Survey Methodology and Relational Data Model
    Bell, J ; Thompson, KM ; Palmer, K ; McCarthy, G ; Barrett, M ; Burrows, E ; Nel, P (ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, 2022-08-10)
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    Non-invasive identification of polymers in cultural heritage collections: evaluation, optimisation and application of portable FTIR (ATR and external reflectance) spectroscopy to three-dimensional polymer-based objects
    Bell, J ; Nel, P ; Stuart, B (BioMed Central, 2019-12-01)
    Abstract The conservation of polymer-based cultural heritage is a major concern for collecting institutions internationally. Collections include a range of different polymers, each with its own degradation processes and preservation needs, however, they are frequently unidentified in collection catalogues. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a useful analytical tool for identifying polymers, which is vital for determining storage, exhibition, loan and treatment conditions. Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR), and External Reflection (ER) are proven effective FTIR sampling techniques for polymer identification and are beginning to appear in conservation labs. This paper evaluates and optimises the application of these two FTIR techniques to three-dimensional plastic objects in the museum context. Elements of the FTIR measurement process are investigated for 15 common polymers found in museum collections using both authentic reference sheets, and case study objects to model for surface characteristics. Including: use of the ATR and ER modules, the difference between clamping and manually holding objects in contact with the ATR crystal, use of the Kramers–Kronig Transformation, signal-to-noise ratios for increasing number of co-added scans, resultant time taken to collect each measurement, associated professional, health and safety considerations, and the use and availability of reference materials for polymer identify verification. Utilising this information, a flowchart for applying FTIR spectroscopy to three-dimensional historic plastic objects during museum collection surveys is proposed to guide the conservation profession.
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    Characterisation and deterioration of stone papers
    Chu, C ; Nel, P (Routledge, 2019-01-02)
    Stone paper, also known as rich mineral paper, is a paper-like material manufactured from calcium carbonate with a small amount of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), instead of traditional cellulose-based fibres. For environmental reasons, stone paper was designed to degrade when exposed to sunlight. It was the aim of this study to address the research gap in conservation literature describing the properties and degradation patterns of stone paper. Three stone paper samples were characterised using visual examination techniques and analysed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (ATR-FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Calcium carbonate, talc, kaolin, high-density polyethylene and an unknown trace material(s) were identified in these stone papers. Under accelerated ageing conditions, the stone paper samples consistently demonstrated a higher rate of chemical and physical degradation compared to a cellulose paper standard when exposed to visible light and ultraviolet radiation. Through this study, a greater understanding was obtained of stone paper composition, its ageing trajectory, and its response to environmental factors. Further research is required to identify the unknown trace element(s) and whether photo-sensitive additives are present. These results should help to inform the identification, storage, display and treatment of stone paper-based collections.