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The input of science into conservation is often limited to the research field of conservation science. This field is occupied by scientists, many of whom are only seeking suitable applications for their sophisticated instrumental analytical equipment. However, the results that are gained rarely contribute to improving the scientific or technological basis of conservation. Aside from providing a valuable description of a historical material’s composition, more assistance in developing improved or new treatment technologies is needed. In achieving this goal, an engineering approach is preferable to a purely scientific one. Combining research and development requires specialists with an academic background that enables them to use scientific knowledge to design new and verifiably improved techniques. It also enables them to make these techniques available to conservators so that they find acceptance. To succeed, this process must bring conservators on board from the beginning, since conservators are the ones who define the specifications that a newly developed technique must fulfil and who judge whether – and how successfully – these specifications and quality criteria are fulfilled in conservation. Since no formal education in conservation science or indeed conservation engineering exists in central Europe, an academic postgraduate programme at technical universities should be established to provide a knowledge base that includes the history of materials, the historical techniques and the requirements for improving the stability, usability or appearance of historic artefacts. In addition, academic educational programmes in conservation need to be reorganized to select the relevant topics in physics, chemistry and materials science, to develop a scientifically sound terminology and eventually to prepare students for cooperating with conservation engineers or scientists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theoretical background of the conservation cultural heritage has been based on ethical principles phrased in the past rather than on findings of materials science, as illustrated quite impressively in 2005 by the well-known conservator and art historian Salvador Muñoz Viñas. In spite of the fact that this imbalance causes numerous problems for use and evaluation of conservational interventions into the material substance of historic objects, history’s long due transition towards principles of material science is very hesitant. Unfortunately, conservation-restoration, which is eventually in charge of maintaining the material integrity of cultural goods, does not have a satisfying number of suitable instructional materials on a sufficiently scientific basis to live up to the material diversity and complexity of historic objects. This is particularly deplorable with specific respect to the German-speaking area, where the most recent publications in the art date back to about 30 years ago and no longer meet the requirements prevailing today. Nevertheless, or maybe precisely because the German-speaking conservation scene is still forced to follow “ancient” teaching tools, innovative changes in conservator training and a refurbishment of the current mentality continue to be difficult and slow. This paper will analyze historical instructional materials in the field of paper conservation and set out a variety of additional factors that influence the development of the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews the book "Bestandserhaltung in Archiven und Bibliotheken," by Rainer Hofmann and Hans-Jörg Wiesner.

As papers become acidic and brittle over time, libraries apply mass deacidification processes to their collections in order to neutralize acids and deposit an alkaline reserve in the paper. Books commonly treated by mass deacidification have undergone natural aging of up to 150 years. The risk of alkali-induced degradation of cellulosic material upon mass deacidification remains uncertain. In the present study, the extent of β-elimination-type degradation reactions was investigated by comparing deacidified and non-deacidified counterparts, using deacidified library materials and identical issues of non-deacidified books from second-hand book shops. The study dealt with only naturally-aged papers focusing on investigation of immediate effects of mass deacidification rather than a long-term impact. Gel permeation chromatography coupled with carbonyl group labeling gave insight into cellulose chain cleavage as well as into the behavior of oxidized functionalities. Processes occurring under natural aging conditions were compared to those upon artificial oxidation of model pulps. Library books did not show a significant reduction in molecular weight after mass deacidification compared to the non-deacidified controls, which stands in contrast to oxidized model pulps. The models showed a more pronounced loss of molecular weight upon deacidification treatments. A decrease in carbonyl groups other than reducing ends was found to occur. Thus, oxidized functionalities were found to be reactive in mass-deacidification reactions; the different behavior was traced down to particular regions of oxidative damage along the cellulose chains. In general, β-elimination processes did not pose a large risk factor upon mass deacidification treatments of the naturally-aged library material tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses analysis of the long term efficacy of mass deacidification of library books as it relates to alkaline reserve. It comments on the difficulties of accurately determining alkaline reserve and identifies book age and specific deacidification processes and the main factors influencing treatment efficacy. Other topics include the Papersave process to determine alkaline reserve, long term stability of cellulose in paper, and assessing alkaline reserve through titration.

The article offers information on the sustainability of mass deacidification of books from the German National Library (DNB) and Berlin State Library (SBB) in Germany. It says that both libraries use mass deacidification treatment through Papersave™, CSC Book Saver™, and Libertec™ processes. It states the investigation of surface pH, alkaline reserve, and molecular structure of cellulose to determine the effectiveness of deacidification of books and the stability of paper.

The article focuses on the development and application of an automated surface cleaning machine for historical maps collection. It says that the electrostatic film machine uses static electricity to remove or lift dangerous dust deposited on the surface of the map collection with 185, 000 sheets dating from late 18th century to the 1960s. It adds that the operation provides a speed of 80 items per hour based on one meter width and a 1.5 meter length with less than 0.4% risk of mechanical damage.

The article focuses on the use of airflow drying technique in the process of paper conservation. It states that the technique was suggested by R. Futernick in paper conservation in 1988 and was first introduced at the Western Regional Paper Conservation Laboratory in San Francisco, California. It discusses the physical basics of the drying process in paper conservation such as drying stack which was set up from corrugated board.

The article presents a study regarding the protective enclosures for art on paper, archives and library materials. It highlights the importance of the components of the protective enclosures that are able to compensate environmental fluctuations. Results show that constructing protective boxes from cellulose-based materials rather than Twinwall Polypropylene material appears to be the better choice in respect to climatic stability.

The article presents a study on the principles of water absorption and desorption in cellulosic materials. It discusses the attributes of water which focuses on its physical interaction forces that operate between water molecules and other materials. It highlights selected scientific principles of water interactions relevant to water damage focusing on water absorption of cellulose and the mechanisms and side effects of drying strategies for cellulosic materials.

The article presents a local technique of stabilizing weakened iron gall ink areas in iron gall ink copy documents from the estate of the Savigny. It describes the special characteristics of the process documents and the iron gall copying inks that were used in this method. It also discusses the procedure applied in stabilizing iron gall ink areas to prevent bleeding and demonstrate the development of ink corrosion. The tests conducted to micro-mechanically determine the unbound iron and copper ions were presented.

The article presents a scientific observation on whether the transfer of scientific research on ink corrosion to conservation practice really takes place. It discusses the basic requirements for understanding aqueous treatment processes for documents experiencing iron gall ink degradation. It concludes that scientific conservation requires more research and development from individuals with adequate scientific education that involves cooperation of experts from the fields other than physics and chemistry.

Degradation of cellulose in historic paper by iron gall ink is a synergistic process of both, acid hydrolysis caused by acidic ink ingredients and oxidation catalyzed by free iron and/or copper ions. The interplay of both reactions was studied according to the CCOA method on historic paper samples. Only minute amounts (few mg) of the samples were required to obtain profiles of naturally present and oxidatively introduced carbonyl groups, which was done by group-selective fluorescence labeling in combination with determination of the molecular weight distribution by GPC-MALLS. In the present study naturally occurring degradation pathways in historic sample papers have been investigated. Different extents of oxidatitive degradation were shown for paper with and without ink. A typical pattern of the molecular weight distribution in naturally aged papers was identified, the peculiar feature being a distinctive shoulder in the region of low molecular weight, roughly between 25,000 and 5,000 g/mol corresponding to a DP between 150 and 30. This pattern was a typical attribute of degraded natural samples: any artificial aging procedures aimed at modeling natural aging processes must thus attempt to reproduce this feature. Although the historic samples had been more severely oxidized than model papers, the inhibition of further oxidation and hydrolysis by the calcium phytate/hydrogen carbonate treatment was evident and could be proven for the first time on the molecular level. Also on plain paper without ink application the oxidation was suppressed and the molecular weight was stabilized on a high level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose in historic paper documents is often damaged by the writing media used, especially iron gall ink or copper pigments. Degradation induced by iron gall ink is suggested to be a synergistic process comprising both hydrolytic and oxidative reactions. These processes were studied on very low sample amounts according to the CCOA and FDAM method, i.e. by fluorescence labeling of carbonyl and carboxyl groups in combination with GPC-MALLS, respectively. This study focused on preventive means to stop the deterioration induced by iron gall ink of cellulose and to prevent further damage, keeping in mind that a suitable conservation treatment has to hinder both, hydrolytic and oxidative processes, at the same time. A combination of the complexing agent calcium phytate and calcium hydrogencarbonate in aqueous solution was proved to give optimum results. To gain insight into long term stability, an aging step was performed after treatment and different ink modifications were tested. Recording the molecular weight distributions and the carbonyl group content over time GPC analysis verified for the first time the preventive effect of this treatment. This effect was not only seen for the ink-covered areas, but extended also to areas remote from the ink lines. Ink containing copper ions responded equally positively to the calcium phytate/hydrogencarbonate treatment as the iron gall ink papers did. Gelatine, sometimes used in a similar way due to an alleged cellulose-stabilizing effect did not have a beneficial influence on cellulose integrity when metal ions were present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the effect of temperature fluctuations on the water sorption capacity of the paper materials stored inside a closed solander box. Two boxes, filled with either a stack of corrugated board mounts or mat board mounts, were subjected to cyclic temperature changes at a range of 28 and 56 degrees Celsius. It was found that the boards' water sorption capacity gradually decreased over time, which is assumed to be caused by an increase in density of cellulose during wetting-drying cycles. It concludes that the temperature changes outside a closed box have a distinct effect on the moisture content of the paper materials stored inside the box.

The article provides information about the journal "Restaurator," which was founded in 1969 in Copenhagen, Denmark. It evolved when the care and preservation of archives and libraries began to generate wider interest in many countries, which archivists and restorers began to collect and exchange information on the paper-based materials. The author also states that since the beginning, the journal focused on presenting the results of scientific research with the goal of establishing an international platform for disseminating knowledge about preservation and conservation of paper-based collections.

The article presents an insight into the historical copying processes. Earlier copying processes involved the use of mechanical copying press especially for copying the Savigny documents. The Savigny copies exhibit ink corrosion. Conservation and storage of these documents depend on the history and manufacture of their copies. Since 1780, copy presses have existed in which copies of documents were created using special copying ink.

The article informs that mass deacidification technology in Germany and its quality control. European archives and library preservation officers today are able to choose among several commercial companies providing mass deacidification services according to different systems. To develop a holistic deacidification programme, they have to be able to evaluate which collection materials should be subjected to such a mass treatment. Until recently, there has been no meaningful analytical procedure for evaluating the efficacy of mass deacidification treatments. Common tests provided only limited information and required destructive analysis on extensive sample material. None of these tests can predict the chemical stability or ageing properties of paper.

The article describes enzymes in solvent conditioned poultices for the removal of starch-based adhesives from iron gall ink corroded manuscripts. Conservation treatments such as linings and local repairs with starch paste, immersion in water or treatment in humidification chambers have accelerated the decomposition of paper caused by certain iron gall inks. In some cases the ink corrosion has spread, becoming visible as halos around the ink line or as a strike through image on the verso. As there are no valid tests available to determine all the effects of aqueous treatments on iron gall ink, it is necessary to minimize the risks in aqueous conservation treatments, specifically the removal of silk from iron gall ink corroded manuscripts.

In Germany, in the last decade, a change in working methods in conservation, especially in libraries and archives, has taken place. This change is partly the result of the foundation of academic training programmes in Stuttgart, Munich and Cologne. It is marked by a shift away from traditional artisanal ways of working to standardized industrial production techniques for mass-scale treatment of library and archive materials. In the educational programme at Stuttgart, new co-operative standards in training and research have been set up, involving industry, regional conservation centres and university institutions. New standardized conservation technologies and procedures have been developed, including marketable equipment for binding repair, ‘instant’ enzyme poultices, suitable fixing agents for water-soluble inks and dyes, aerosol treatments for consolidation of flaking paint layers and chemical stabilization of iron-gall ink corrosion. The developments in the profession have already led to a redefinition and enhancement of areas of responsibility in certain conservation positions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Degradation products of cellulose resulting from Fehling's reaction in the course of paper destruction by copper-containing pigments have been detected in aqueous eluates of pigment-damaged areas of illuminated manuscripts by GLC of O-trimethylsilylaldonic acid trimethylsilyl esters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

X-Ray studies of the mixed nitride phases indicate complete solid solubility in all cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An isothermal section at 1,000°C of the system Sm−C−N was examined by X-ray diffraction techniques. Complete solid solubility between the phases SmC and SmN could be established. No indication for the existence of a ternary samarium carbonitride phase analogous to LaCN, could be found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ThC is completely miscible with LaN, CeN, PrN, NdN, SmN and GdN at 1800°C. A miscibility gap is observed in the system ThC−ErN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Up to 25% of the lead atoms can be substituted by Sr in PbGeO without change in structure. The existence of PbCd(GeO) with the structure of barysilit has been confirmed in accordance with the literature. A new phase with barysilitstructure was observed in the system BaO/PbO/GeO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigations in the system Cr/W/N at 1100°C and at nitrogen pressures up to 300 bar lead to the conclusion that no apprecible solubility of W neither in CrN nor in CrN exists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The removal of oil stains from paper especially of drying-oils such as linseed oil, is a challenge for the conservator. The enzyme lipase is capable of causing the degradation of fats and oils based on triacylglyceride structures. The existing literature gives a confusing picture of conditions under which lipase can successfully be used in paper conservation. A series of tests on unaged, artificially aged and naturally aged test samples of linseed-oil stains on various papers were made. The results indicate that the application of lipases under the conventional application conditions exhibit a very low effectiveness, if any. The rule of buffer, wetting agent and pH is also investigated. In the light of these results Tris buffer and wetting agents are in most cases responsible for improvements to colour, bleachability and wettability of the linseed-oil stains. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Microchimica Acta is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Microchimica Acta is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Microchimica Acta is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Microchimica Acta is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The author reflects on bleaching treatments. He argues that bleaching is pursued because it is one of the most invasive and dangerous in conservation that is sometimes belittled as it applies only to a small group of objects within their cultural heritage on paper. He discusses ways to optimize bleaching treatments, including the need to ask the question of treatment options differently when objectives have undergone previous treatment.

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses an article on the potential of the barthophenantroline micro-chemical test to control the effectiveness of phylate treatment in the conservation laboratory, the requirements of aqueous solutions that can be applied in the production of remoistenable tissue, and the factors that must be considered in preservation decision-making of the intrinsic value of an object.

Information on the publication of "Restaurator," is presented, including an acknowledgment of the work of Helmut Bansa as chief editor, the contributions of the editors and the selection of Sigrid Eyb-Green as the next editor.

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses the event "Preservation and the four elements, Water Impact on Library, Archival and Museum Materials," held in Prague, Czech Republic on October 31, 2009.