Evaluating the Effects of Treatments on Iron Gall Ink Corroded Documents A new analytical methodology
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English Slovak |
| ISSN: | ISSN 0034-5806 |
| Online Access: | http://www.viks.sk/chk/res_2_04_94_103.doc |
| Abstract: | SUMARRIES. The development of a suitable conservation treatment for ink corrosion requires a thorough evaluation of a large number of model papers and inks as well as originals. While the currently used bursting strength evaluation gives an estimate of failure of documents along the corroded ink lines, in real-life situations, its repeatability is low and numerous measurements need to be performed to obtain a reasonably reliable value. It is suggested that model iron gall ink corroded papers may also be studied using viscometry, which is a simple, reliable method requiring only a small amount of sample. For original documents, where sampling for accelerated ageing is very restricted, scanning device assisted brightness determination of the verso of the writing is proposed for the evaluation of the effects of conservation treatment on paper during accelerated ageing. However, several parameters influencing colour formation and evaluation on the verso, including the rate of migration, paper density, surface furnish etc., prevent the method from being used to compare different papers before these effects are fully assessed. CONCLUSION. Our research intended to evaluate the suitability of viscometric and colourimetric methods for the evaluation of the degradation of iron gall ink carrying samples. Linear correlation between bursting strength and DP as well as brightness values on the verso of the writing were obtained for a paper sample deacidified with a variety of non-aqueous treatments, thus confirming the applicability of the techniques for studies of ink corroded documents. Due to the simple instrumentation, ease of use, reproducibility and small amounts of required sample, the methods may be used for routine evaluations of ink-corroded samples during accelerated ageing. It is nevertheless suggested that determination of bursting strength is still used as a reference technique, whenever possible. |
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| ISSN: | ISSN 0034-5806 |
