Work

Selection of thermal, spectroscopic, spectrometric, and chromatographic methods for characterizing historical celluloid

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: Celluloid in museum collections is very unstable; therefore, heritage professionals carry out research studies dedicated to understanding its decay and prolonging its lifetime. This paper addresses the need to compare and select suitable analytical methods for that purpose. Thermogravimetric analysis coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, evolved gas analysis–mass spectrometry, double shot – gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) were employed to characterize the emission of gasses (decay products) and measure the molecular weight and camphor (plasticizer) content from unaged, artificially, and naturally aged celluloid samples. A pioneer GPC set‐up for the quantification of camphor was introduced for the first time in this study. Results demonstrated that GPC was the most suitable method for assessing material changes due to degradation. Both set‐ups, for measuring molecular weight and quantifying camphor, appear promising for assessing the effect of conservation treatments and investigating the heterogeneous degradation of celluloid objects in future studies.

Source: Journal of Applied Polymer Science

DOI: 10.1002/app.50477

Authors: Christina Elsässer, Anna Micheluz, Marisa Pamplona, Stefani Kavda, Peter Montag

Institutions: Deutsches Museum, Technical University of Munich, Polymer Standards Service (Germany)

Language: English

Topic: Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis

Subfield: Archeology

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,600

Funder: Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt