School of Historical and Philosophical Studies - Research Publications
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ItemNo Preview AvailableIdentification of polymer-based artefacts from the former Wheeler Residence at the Mernda archaeological site in Victoria, Australia: A comparison of attenuated total reflectance and reflectance spectroscopic techniques(International Council of Museums, 2021)The purpose of this investigation was to identify the polymers in artefacts recovered from archaeological excavations at the former Wheeler Residence using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared and reflectance spectroscopy. The results from both techniques are compared and discussed. Identification will assist with the long-term management and storage of these polymer-based artefacts. Evaluation of these two sampling techniques included whether the physical characteristics and polymer type of the artefacts favoured the use of one technique over the other. The inherent challenges of archaeological artefacts such as cataloguing conventions, awkwardly shaped fragments and soil encrustations complicated the analysis. Of the 270 samples analysed, 67% were identified as containing ten different types of polymers, with the remaining 33% consisting of unidentified polymers, encrusted polymers in which only soil bands or other materials such as glass were identified. Although reflectance achieved better results for certain types of artefacts, it also revealed limitations. The identified polymers are compatible with the proposed occupation of the site from 1852 to the 1970s.
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ItemShould we clean plastics like we clean paintings? A study in cleaning plasticised poly (vinyl chloride)(University of Cambridge Museums, 2023)Cleaning plastics poses a significant issue in cultural collections. Highly susceptible to attack from mech- anical, organic and ionic cleaning agents, it can seem impossible to find products that adequately clean plastic materials without causing damage in the process. This paper aims to address these issues. It explores how techniques, knowledge and decision-making processes used in painting conservation can be adapted and used to deliver sophisticated, inexpensive, and accessible strategies for cleaning plastics. Using plasticised polyvinyl chloride as a case study, this paper demonstrates how principles of pH, ion concentration, polarity, chelation, gel-formulations and colloidal interface can be used to arrive at optimal methods for cleaning plastics. Combinations of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR), optical microscopy, colourimetry and accelerated ageing were used to determ- ine the effectiveness of and damage levels of the cleaning processes being evaluated. Ultimately it was found that neat solvents, detergents and acidic or basic aqueous solutions should not be used unaltered but should rather be tailored specifically to the needs of the polymeric material being treated.
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ItemInvestigating Vynol: Australia’s first artists’ acrylic and vinyl-acrylic emulsion paints(Pulido & Nunes; ICOM Committee for Conservation, 2017)Vynol Paints, established in 1964, was the first manufacturer of artists’ acrylic paints in Australia. However, it has received minimal recognition in the art historical, conservation and technical art research fields. It is the aim of this paper to address this research gap by considering its relevance to material knowledge and conservation practice, as part of a broader investigation into the relationship between acrylic paints and the Australian colourfield painting movement. Vynol was found to be used by artists featured in the seminal exhibition, The Field (1968), at the National Gallery of Victoria. This interdisciplinary study presents archive material, interview findings and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis of Vynol paints, showing connections between the movement’s artists and the manufacturer. It reveals that, during the 1960s, Vynol produced vinyl-acrylic paints – copolymers of polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) and an acrylate monomer, a formulation that was likely used by some of the artists associated with The Field exhibition. Hence, identification of the PVAc/acrylic copolymers using FTIR spectroscopy is explored.
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ItemConservation and characterization of arabic papyrus in Egyptian National Library and Archives, Egypt(IOP Publishing, 2020-11-10)An Ara bic Pa pyrus sheet stored a t the Egyptia n Na tiona l Libra ry a nd Archives wa s previously pla ced on unknown seconda ry support, a nd interlea ved between two gla ss sheets enclosed with a dhesive ta pe. This pa pyrus ha s various deteriora tion issues especia lly in the upper section where there is a la rge embedded sta in ca using the pa pyrus to stick to the secondary support a nd the gla ss sheet. Conserva tion trea tments conducted involved clea n ing, fibre a lignment a nd rehousing, scientific investiga tions including visible light microscopy, Fourier tra nsform infra red spectroscopy with a ttenua ted tota l reflecta nce (FTIR-ATR), a nd Sca nning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM-EDS) were conducted to identify ma teria ls involved. A la ck of informa tion in the historica l records a bout the exca vation a nd previous conserva tion trea tments increa se the importa nce of the resea rch. The a na lysis showed tha t the seconda ry support is gela tine a nd Ara bic text wa s written in ca rbon ink. The gela tine support wa s successfully removed from the pa pyrus a nd the pa pyrus document wa s re - housed.
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ItemIdentification of issues associated with finding polystyrene repairs on archaeological pottery(International Council of Museums, 2014)At the University of Melbourne, an adhesive iden- tification survey using FTIR-ATR spectroscopy of 146 repaired Cypriot pottery vessels revealed polystyrene on five artefacts. This unexpected polystyrene finding raised concern about why it was present and how it may have contributed to the current condition of the vessels it was associ- ated with. Comprehensive analysis and mapping of polystyrene distribution on a vessel composed of 30 pieces revealed the adhesive to be present on numerous sherd edges, consistent with it being used as an adhesive. A new set of solvent param- eters was established for reversing brittle unstable conjoins of an adhesive not previously discussed or considered in ceramics conservation. These findings demonstrate the importance of accurate adhesive identification in planning successful treat- ments and the value of using portable analytical equipment for identifying adhesives otherwise not detectable using standard visual and ultraviolet fluorescence examination methods.
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ItemA preliminary comparative technical analysis of earth-based pigments used by Aboriginal artists from the Kimberley region and other natural, synthetic or commercial sources(International Council of Museums, 2014)Developing non-destructive analytical methodologies for Indigenous Australian cultural heritage is of critical interest for art historians, curators, artists and conservators. Prompted by an observed increase in the number of Australian Aboriginal artworks with problematic provenance, highlighted in a ground-breaking authentication case, and technical questions raised by the need to treat flood damaged artworks, research was undertaken to determine the best methods for analysing ochrebased paints. As many Aboriginal paintings and artefacts are predominantly composed of earthbased pigments, samples of synthetic pigments and naturally occurring ochres were obtained from a range of commercial and geographic sources, including Australia’s East Kimberley region. A combined methodology based on particle induced xray emission (PIXE), Australian Synchrotron powder diffraction (AS-PD) and microscopy was developed to explore the ability of a complementary data set to differentiate between synthetic and natural earth-based pigments from Australian and overseas sources. In addition, such investigations will ultimately be used to generate a database of elemental, mineralogical and microscopy data with the aim of establishing provenance and informing conservation treatment approaches.
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ItemFluorescence analysis of the constituent dyes within a daylight fluorescent paint layer via thin layer chromatography: implications for colour matching(The Colour Society of Austrlia, 2009)