This report describes a quantitative procedure for accurately determining the chloride ion concentration of solutions. The procedure involves titrating a sample from a treatment solution with a dilute solution of silver nitrate, and then monitoring the silver ion content in the solution with a silver electrode. This potentiometric titration is suitable for aqueous treatment solutions such as water, sodium hydroxide, ethylenediamine, and alkaline sulphite. Also included is an overview of the theory of potentiometric titrations, a description of how to hand-plot the data on Gran’s plot paper or use a linear least-squares fitting program to determine the end point, and an explanation of how to use a quinhydrone electrode to determine the voltage of a reference electrode.
From her meticulously researched study of artists' manuals, catalogues and trade literature produced in Britain (including some U.S. sources), Dr. Leslie Carlyle has compiled a detailed account of oil painting materials and techniques in use between 1750-1900. Methods of painting and paint application are described and recipes for varnishes, vehicles, paint mediums and grounds have been compared and tabulated. The 'artistical' properties of pigments, their working qualities, drying times and cautionary notes on their use, have been included in an extensive appendix.
Fascinating, accessible and carefully structured, The Artist's Assistant is the first comprehensive and critical analysis of information on artists' materials during this period. It is an invaluable resource, not only for conservators and historians of art technology, but also for artists, researchers and teachers who wish to work with authentic materials.
Adhesives are one of the most important materials used by conservators. Poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAC) emulsion adhesives possess the strength and handling properties needed for many treatments, and are widely used in conservation. However, on aging most become acidic and brittle. Therefore an improved PVAC adhesive formulation more suitable for conservation use has been sought. Earlier work showed that vinyl acetate/ethylene (VAE) copolymer emulsions were more suitable as a base, and after 5 years of study an initial evaluation of the physical/chemical effects of various common modifiers has been completed. Unfortunately most modifiers were found to reduce the stability of the base resin. In the future, as new understanding of modifiers that have minimal impact is developed, recommendations can be made for a suitable conservation formulation.
Description and plans for a low-pressure vacuum wash table that was developed and built at CCI to treat a fragile, oversized textile.
Research reports of a long-term project to evaluate commercial mass deacidification processes.
Phase I: Results of the examination of four naturally aged papers of various dates (1728-1948) that were treated with Akzo-DEZ, FMC-MG3, or Wei T’o deacidification processes.
Phase II: Results of the examination of new and artificially aged modern papers deacidified by Akzo-DEZ, FMC-MG3, or Wei T’o deacidification processes.
Phase III: Comparison of the effects of mass deacidification processes on a wide variety of materials found in libraries and archives.