Project facts

Duration: 2001-07-01 - 2005-01-31
Project coordinator: Heritage Science Laboratory Ljubljana at UL Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
Project consortium: National and University Library of Slovenia; Netherlands Institute for Cultural Heritage; Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
Funding bodies: 5th Framework Programme
Subject areas: Conservation, Heritage Management
Contact: m.strlic@ucl.ac.uk
Budget: € 1 000 000
Website: http://www.science4heritage.org/papylum/

Presentation

The aim of this project is to use chemiluminescent phenomena, i.e. the ultra weak emission of light associated with material oxidation and degradation, for assessing the thermo- and photo-oxidative degradation pathways of historical objects of cellulosic origin, e.g. paper. To the present day, chemiluminescence’s studies have provided valuable new insight into the degradation of artificial polymers, yet application of the technique to the investigation of paper degradation has so far not been attempted due to the lack of sensitive equipment

Impacts & Results

By developing a much-needed chemiluminescence’s instrument with non-destructive sampling and by the evaluation of scientific data to be obtained, we will be able to estimate the rate of degradation of library materials and the adequacy of existing conservation treatments. This will enable us to standardise conservation procedures and to plan future preservation and RTD actions.

 

Cover image"old book's" by v.max1978 is marked with CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.