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Material Research in Monument Conservation

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 16550

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Pavel Novák

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Guest Editor

Department of Metals and Corrosion Engineering, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Czech Republic
Interests: heat treatment of metallic materials; metallography; microscopy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Durovic Michal

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemical Technology of Monument Conservation, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Interests: material research; preservation of cultural heritage objects; conservation of paper documents; leather; parchment and seals; historical and modern inks; historical photographic techniques and cinematographic films

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The care of cultural heritage objects requires the necessary cooperation of the restorer-conservator, art historian, and chemist-technologist. This activity includes methods focused on stopping or slowing down the degradation of the monument´s materials (conservation) and procedures that restore the integrity of the objects at a certain knowledge of its historical development (restoration). This restores the former aesthetic or technical functionality of the monument. An important part of the care of monuments is the so-called preventive conservation, which is defined as a pre-approved plan of activities focused on slowing down the damage and reducing risks for collections. It includes the creation of optimal climatic conditions (temperature, relative humidity, removal of corrosive gaseous pollutants) during long-term storage of collections and funds in repositories, their protection during exhibition and presentation, security against fires, floods, or theft, etc. The role of conservation sciences in all these activities, especially in the material investigation of the monument before its restoration, but also in the technological research itself, is completely irreplaceable.

This Special Edition includes contributions from various areas of monument care, which connect material science and technological research. Therefore, papers dealing with material research, material analysis, and conservation techniques of various types of historical objects are highly welcome.

Dr. Pavel Novák
Dr. Durovic Michal
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

cultural heritage
materials of cultural heritage objects
heritage science
preventive conservation
conservation
restoration
paper
textile
synthetic polymers
glass
ceramics
metals
artworks
historical pigments

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 5335 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Disinfection Methods on Cinematographic Film

by Vítězslav Knotek, Michal Ďurovič, Bohumil Dolenský and Zdeněk Hrdlička

Materials 2023, 16(9), 3493; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma16093493 - 01 May 2023

Viewed by 1112

Abstract

Microbiological contamination of cinematographic films can cause damage and loss of image information. A large part of the films is made with the base of cellulose triacetate, which has been used from the 1940s until today. Cellulose triacetate is relatively resistant to common organic solvents, but some types of microorganisms can contribute to its faster degradation. In this work, we tested four types of disinfectants suitable for mass disinfection and sufficiently effective against various types of microorganisms. Butanol vapours, a commercial mixture of alcohols (Bacillol^® AF), Septonex^® (an aqueous solution of [1-(ethoxycarbonyl)pentadecyl] trimethylammonium bromide) and ethylene oxide applied as a gas mixed with carbon dioxide were tested. Samples of a commercial film made of cellulose triacetate were disinfected. The samples were aged for 56 days at 70 °C and 55% RH. Changes in optical, mechanical and chemical properties were studied. None of the disinfectants affected the change in the degree of substitution. For samples disinfected with Bacillol^® AF (alcohol mixture), part of the plasticiser (triphenyl phosphate) was extracted and the intrinsic viscosity of the cellulose triacetate solution was reduced after ageing. A slight decrease in intrinsic viscosity also occurred after disinfection with ethylene oxide. Compared to the non-disinfected samples, butanol vapours and Septonex^® appear to be the most gentle disinfectants for the cellulose triacetate film base, within the studied parameters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Research in Monument Conservation)

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13 pages, 3143 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antioxidant Protection of Paper Heritage Objects with 4-Amino-2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidine

by Katarína Vizárová, Soňa Malečková, Radko Tiňo, Milena Reháková and František Kačík

Materials 2023, 16(9), 3351; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma16093351 - 25 Apr 2023

Viewed by 925

Abstract

In protecting cultural heritage, deacidification is used to stabilize acidic papers, ensuring the neutralization of acids present in the paper. But in the process of aging, several mechanisms of degradation occur simultaneously. Therefore, substances used to stabilize the paper should contain an antioxidant component in addition to the deacidifying component. The effect of the antioxidant (hindered amine light stabilizers—HALS type) on the stabilization of lignin-containing acid papers during accelerated aging was studied in this work. The effective deacidification component was magnesium; the solvent was hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO). The 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine series of hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS) was selected as appropriate for creating a modifying system based on HMDSO. The modification system was tested on samples of a model test acid lignin-containing paper (NOVO) and naturally aged acidic paper from the real book. The addition of substances to the proposed deacidification system has a favorable effect on stabilizing the pH during aging and provides the inhibition of the oxidative degradation products and stabilization of the cellulose degree of polymerization. It was confirmed that the application of the system containing deacidification and an antioxidant component may increase the effectiveness of the protection of acid groundwood paper heritage objects. Adding a tested antioxidant to the proposed deacidification system has a favorable effect on stabilizing the pH value for a long time in accelerated aging. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Research in Monument Conservation)

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19 pages, 5489 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Synthetic Polymer Foams on Cellulosic Material Degradation

by Vítězslav Knotek, Michal Ďurovič and Irena Kučerová

Materials 2023, 16(3), 1210; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16031210 - 31 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1249

Abstract

Polymeric materials are widely used at present as auxiliary materials in the preservation of tangible cultural heritage in museums, galleries, or libraries. The desired properties of such materials include chemical inertness and long lifetime, which are verified by accelerated aging tests. This work has tested three color types of PE foam Plastazote^® LD45 (white, grey, and black), which is recommended for use in the field of cultural heritage preservation. The volatile organic compounds released from the foams after artificial aging and their influence on lignocellulosic materials were investigated. The cellulosic materials were artificially aged in close contact with the foams. All foams released organic acids ranging from acetic acid to hexanoic acid. White foam released organic acids to an extent higher by an order of magnitude compared to the grey and black types. A great influence of white foam on the properties of cellulosic materials was observed. There were large differences in the rate of degradation between the types of foams tested, indicating the need to develop a test method in order to determine the suitability for use in the preservation of culture heritage objects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Research in Monument Conservation)

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15 pages, 4641 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Uncertainty of Quantitative X-ray Fluorescence Micro-Analysis of Metallic Artifacts Caused by Their Curved Shapes

by Tomáš Trojek and Darina Trojková

Materials 2023, 16(3), 1133; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma16031133 - 28 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1415

Abstract

This paper summarizes the effects of irregular shape on the results of a quantitative X-ray fluorescence (XRF) micro-analysis. These effects become relevant when an XRF analysis is performed directly on an investigated material. A typical example is XRF analyses of valuable and historical objects whose measurements should be performed non-destructively and non-invasively, without taking samples. Several measurements and computer simulations were performed for selected metallic materials and shapes to evaluate the accuracy and precision of XRF. The described experiments and the corresponding Monte Carlo simulations were related to the XRF device designed and utilized at the Czech Technical University. It was found that the relative uncertainty was typically about 5–10% or even higher in quantitative analyses of minor elements due to irregular shapes of surfaces. This must be considered in cases of the interpretation of XRF results, especially in the cultural heritage sciences. The conclusions also contain several recommendations on how to measure objects under hard-to-define geometric conditions with respect to reduction in the surface effect in quantitative or semi-quantitative XRF analyses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Research in Monument Conservation)

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24 pages, 19304 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Degradation Processes of Medieval and Renaissance Glazed Ceramics

by Mária Kolářová, Alexandra Kloužková, Martina Kohoutková, Jaroslav Kloužek and Pavla Dvořáková

Materials 2023, 16(1), 375; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma16010375 - 30 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1227

Abstract

Corrosion effects in deposit environments (soil, waste pit, etc.), together with the glaze adherence and fit, could cause severe deterioration accompanied by different types of defects or growth of corrosion products. The aim of this work was to identify the source of surface degradation of the lead-glazed ceramics sets from the Prague area from the Romanesque to the Renaissance period. A combination of X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), and simultaneous thermal analysis (STA) techniques along with stress state calculations was used to study the defects. Based on the interpretation of the possible sources of the observed defects, four types of degradation effects were schematically expressed for the archaeological samples. It was shown that the glazes were already appropriately chosen during the production of the Romanesque tiles and that their degradation occurred only due to long-term exposure to unsuitable environmental conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Research in Monument Conservation)

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13 pages, 24724 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Multianalytical Approach for the Characterisation of Materials on Selected Artworks by Monogrammist IP

by Radka Šefců, Štěpánka Chlumská, Václava Antušková, Daniel Vavřík, Ivana Kumpová and Václav Pitthard

Materials 2023, 16(1), 331; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma16010331 - 29 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1533

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation of wooden artworks from the collection of the National Gallery Prague created by Monogrammist IP–one of the top carvers of the Salzburg-Passau region at the beginning of the 16th century. His wood reliefs were examined to gain a better understanding of the historical techniques used in medieval art workshops. The internal structure of the small relief Visitation was analysed using computed tomography. Tomographic reconstruction made it possible to distinguish wood species, observe the internal structure of the artwork in detail, study the technological procedures and identify earlier repairs, additions and damages. Tomographic investigation proved the use of four types of wood on the relief Visitation, most likely pear, lime, unspecified softwood and other different species used for joining dowels. A combination of non-invasive and micro-destructive analytical techniques was employed for the chemical characterisation of the materials in the surface layers of the artworks. Photomicrographs of the surface were taken to provide material for the initial investigation. Non-invasive material research was conducted using a portable X-ray fluorescence analyser and, in selected cases, an external reflection infrared spectrometer. The detailed analyses on the micro-samples was carried out by optical microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. A glaze layer based on protein with earth pigment was identified on the relief Christ the Saviour from Death. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Research in Monument Conservation)

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16 pages, 11772 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Color Measurement in the Corrosivity Assessment of Museums, Archives, and Churches

by Tereza Boháčková, Milan Kouřil, Kristýna Charlotte Strachotová, Kateřina Kreislová, Pavlína Fialová, Jan Švadlena and Tomáš Prošek

Materials 2023, 16(1), 226; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma16010226 - 26 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1080

Abstract

Indoors, volatile organic acids can play an important role in the degradation process of many materials. Considering this fact, metal corrosion coupons of copper, silver, lead, and zinc were exposed to different climatic conditions of 18 locations for 3, 12, and 30 months, and their corrosion rates were evaluated based on mass loss, as recommended by the ISO 11844 standard. The corrosion rates were compared with in situ colorimetric measurements to validate the colorimetry as a simple tool for estimating the corrosivity of an environment. The results have shown good correlation between the methods for two metals: silver and lead, confirming the possibility of non-destructive monitoring of their corrosion by measurement of color changes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Research in Monument Conservation)

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21 pages, 5369 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chemistry and Production Technology of Hallstatt Period Glass Beads from Bohemia

by Zuzana Zlámalová Cílová, Viktoria Čisťakova, Romana Kozáková and Ladislav Lapčák

Materials 2022, 15(16), 5740; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15165740 - 19 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1678

Abstract

The presented study evaluated a set of beads primarily originating from the Hallstatt period (800–400 BC) and uncovered in the region of Bohemia. Utilizing an SEM/EDS method, the chemical composition of the glass samples was determined and their homogeneity measured. Owing to the presence of opaque glass, Raman spectroscopy was applied, enabling the definition of the phases causing the opacity of the glass, as well as its coloring. This article discusses opacifying agents, including the possible ways in which they entered the artefacts. In addition, the techniques used to produce the glass beads are described, for both the single-colored beads, as well as the so-called eye beads that are present in a significant amount in the set. The majority of the beads examined were found to be made of the LMG glass type (low-magnesium soda-lime glass). An unexpected result was the identification of glass with a high content of K₂O not corresponding to the mixed alkali type (LMHK), which is frequently discussed in the literature. The glass type in question most likely does not come from the traditional area of glass production: the eastern Mediterranean territory. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Research in Monument Conservation)

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10 pages, 13530 KiB

Open AccessArticle

X-ray Fluorescence Analysis of Pigments in Gothic Frescoes, Coats of Arms, and Polychromy on Sculptures on the Triforium in St. Vitus Cathedral on the Territory of the Czech Kingdom in the 14th Century

by Tomáš Čechák, Tomáš Trojek, Vladimír Růžek, Radka Šefců and Hana Průšová

Materials 2022, 15(14), 5033; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15145033 - 20 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1057

Abstract

Pigments in the paints used for the coats of arms, polychromy on sculptures, and pigments in frescoes characterize not only the epoch but also individual creators or groups of artists involved in their creation. X-ray fluorescence analysis is a non-destructive method suitable for determining the chemical composition of these artifacts. This article covers the results of measurements of selected objects, and compares them with similar objects from the territory of the Czech Kingdom in the 14th century. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Research in Monument Conservation)

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16 pages, 13778 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Permulgin 3274 as a Material for the Conservation of Beeswax Seals

by Lenka Bílková, Benjamin Bartl, Štěpán Urbánek, Martin Zapletal, Libuše Holakovská, Michal Ďurovič, Zdeněk Hrdlička and Jakub Havlín

Materials 2022, 15(5), 1909; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15051909 - 04 Mar 2022

Viewed by 1566

Abstract

When treating historical beeswax seals, it seems a natural choice to use materials as similar to the original as possible. The properties of analogous recent materials, however, differ from those of the aged ones, not to mention the fact that the exact composition of the particular sealing wax is usually uncertain. In order to obtain the material of desired properties, recent beeswax is often combined with various additives, including petroleum waxes, or even replaced by mixtures based solely on these products. Within this study, the relevant properties of Permulgin 3274, a ceresin-type wax, were compared with the characteristics of recent and historical beeswaxes. The aim was to evaluate its advantages and limitations, in terms of its possible use for the conservation of beeswax seals. The properties studied were comprised of the chemical composition, thermal properties, mechanical properties, possibilities of colour adjustment and ageing properties. Permulgin 3274′s workability was evaluated by conservators from the National Archives in Prague. The results indicate that, from the technological point of view, Permulgin 3274 could be considered a welcome alternative to the use of traditional conservation mixtures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Research in Monument Conservation)

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22 pages, 7415 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lead Corrosion and Corrosivity Classification in Archives, Museums, and Churches

by Milan Kouřil, Tereza Boháčková, Kristýna Charlotte Strachotová, Jan Švadlena, Tomáš Prošek, Kateřina Kreislová and Pavlína Fialová

Materials 2022, 15(2), 639; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ma15020639 - 15 Jan 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1565

Abstract

Sixteen localities were involved in a broad study, resulting in the classification of the indoor corrosivity of metals considered in the ISO 11844 standard, especially lead. Recently, lead has been added to the standard as a metal specifically sensitive to volatile organic compounds such as acetic acid. Data on one-year exposure in museum depositories and exhibition spaces, archives, libraries, and churches show that the currently valid lead corrosivity categories are not correctly defined. The obtained data allowed for the proposal of new realistic ranges of indoor corrosivity categories for lead. The exposure program was also used to validate techniques for determining the corrosion degradation of metal coupons. Mass increase and mass loss techniques were supplemented with the galvanostatic reduction technique and the measurement of color changes. The study identified the limitations of the mass gain method. Not only is the galvanostatic reduction technique applicable for silver and copper coupons, but the build-up of reducible lead corrosion products depends on air corrosivity. CIELab color-change measurement has proven to be a simple and easy-to-apply method for monitoring the corrosivity of indoor atmospheres with regard to lead. A more reliable response is provided by the determination of color change after 3 months of exposure rather than after one year. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Material Research in Monument Conservation)

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