Technical Log Reflective Professional Development Journal
Introduction
Paper making started in the early stages of development where China took the initiative to introduce paper in the world. Paper making was an achievement made to replace traditional form of printing which was in the form of stones or tablets. However, the paper making industry grew to other parts of the world as every country grew the urge of embracing the new development. Therefore, the emergence of paper making and the use of paper in writing and art developed a need for preserving the less-durable prints from harm and other forms of degradation. Paper preservation involves different methods that help in retaining the nature and value of paper artifacts. For example, paper preservation includes the processes of paper washing, humidification, resizing, and paper storage hence; this paper focuses in articulating the different topics involved in the paper industry.
Art Handling:
Before start handling any art work, we start with very important steps such as:
- Wash your hands and remove your rings, hand watch, bracelet. etc
- Clean your space
- No cluttering
- Use a cart even for short distances
Works on paper are highly sensitive we must handle it with care.
Prints, painting and drawing should never be lifted by its corners: the edges and corners of a sheet of paper are its weakest and most brittle area. To lift a single sheet, use a spatula or a slip of paper to lift the edge of the work and hold by opposite corners
Preservation Management
Conservation Definition: is to help the art work from deterioration and how to manage the change. The reason for conserving collection is to benefit both present and future generation.
National Trust definition of conservation: the careful management of change. It is about revealing and sharing the significant of places and ensuring that their special qualities are protected, enhanced, understood and enjoyed by present and future generation.
We cannot keep the collection in an unchanged condition forever.
John Ruskin (who had the large influence in conservation), introduced an important comparison between conservation and restoration in his book “The seven lamps for architecture”
Conservation: is a way of planning designed to conserved historic buildings, areas and monuments in an effort to connect the historical background of a place to its population and primarily its culture.
Restoration: of historic building involves reconstructing parts of the building that have fallen into decay as imitation of the highest possible quality of the original building.
Each art work has its own history of previous treatment, framing, and environmental exposure, and consequently the conservation of each individual work presents a unique set of considerations. However, conservation treatment meant to be reversible, full documented and with minimum intervention (less than more).
Risk analysis: Enormity of data in physical and digital form, this is physically and mentally overwhelming it is across all collection. We are not facing the fragility in the physical material only but also on the digitized material too. Preventive conservation is concerned with all issues related to the environment, storage, security, and disaster planning as well as collection maintenance. Preventive conservation is the bias knowledge to preservation to take care of millions of the items, to maintain the system for the best environment control.
Preventive conservation tasks: controlling light levels, installing and maintaining protection and undertaking routine removal of superficial dirt.
Two major importance of preservation:
- Increase in collection caused by digital explosion of born and born again (born again when you digitize the collection such as digitization project of the collection)
- Increase in access to collection, to make the collection available and accessible.
Identifying risk:
- Direct physical forces: such as earthquakes, cyclones
- Vandalism and theft: not only materials could be taken but also materials could be added and changed the history information.
- Fire
- Water flooding which cause raising in the humidity
- Pests
- Contaminant (pollutions) such as dust
- Light
- Incorrect temperature/ incorrect relative humidity
- Custodial neglect
Three types of risks
- Rare and catastrophic
- Sporadic and severe such as insect, dust from building construction
- Constant and gradual
Risk Management:
Risk management permits comparison of all risks whether to building or collections. Start with three main categories:
- Catastrophic such as earthquake
- Sporadic means something occurrence from time to time (randomly happened)
- Cumulative something ongoing such as light damage rise and dim, poor handling.
Risk Management aim to:
- Minimize risk by controlling the agent
- Mitigate risk (difficult to control)
Preventing or controlling risks is done by selecting and applying instruments that are most likely to achieve environmental and/or human health objectives.
Monitor and record information about the environment in spaces housing collections and manage the environment to maximize preservation.
It is important to monitor record and analyze climate data, because it allow us to evaluate the risks posed to collections, adjust controls to better maintain a suitable and stable environment, and take steps to minimize damage from temperature, relative humidity, light and air pollution.
Four risks associated with the environment:
- Temperature
Incorrect temperature that can be: too high causing gradual disintegration, discoloration, expansion of certain materials and increased pest activity. Too low causing desiccation and embrittlement which results in fracturing of paints, adhesives, and other polymers. Temperature is also a primary factor in determining RH levels. Inappropriate temperature can accelerate chemical, physical, and biological processes that cause deterioration
- Relative humidity
Incorrect Relative humidity can be: too damp (over 65%) causing mold growth and/or swelling and deformation of hygroscopic (typically organic) materials, corrosion of metals, increased pest activity. Too dry causing desiccation of hygroscopic materials resulting in shrinkage and cracking in certain materials such as ivory, teeth or wood, and dehydration of some minerals.
- Light (radiation)
Natural light and artificial, both are composed of wavelengths including: (UV) lights causes weakening, chalking darkening, yellowing and/or disintegration of the outer layer of organic materials and some dyed or colored inorganic materials; (IR) that heats the surfaces of objects causing disintegration and discoloration in materials; Visible light that fades (bleaches) or darkens the outer layer of paints, inks, dyes, wood, textiles, photos, plastics, and other organic and inorganic materials.
- Air cleaning
Air pollutants that disintegrate, discolor, or corrode all types of objects, especially reactive (such as metals) and porous materials.
Archives divided into three categories:
- High such as parchment and rag paper
- Medium
- Low such as newsprint some film
To protect the collection from environmental agents of deterioration:
- Know the collection.
- Know the structure and the building envelope housing the collection
- Know your local climate and its impact on the building envelope and on the collections environment
- Maintain a stable climate and minimize fluctuations
- Containerize the collection
- Avoid the agents of deterioration in areas housing collections
- Block agents of deterioration when you cannot avoid them
- Test the methods used to block the agents of deterioration by monitoring.
Monitoring equipment:
Most data-loggers provide information on temperature and/or RH in real time as they occur. They are small and can easily be placed in storage areas, cabinets, exhibit cases, furnished historic structures, shipping crates, and other area where collections are located.
Monitoring equipment light standards and recommendation:
50 Lux very sensitive material- textiles, water color, prints, drawing, manuscript and photographs.
UV 30 microwatts per lumen
200 Lux sensitive material- oil & tempera paintings, printed books & documents.
UV 75 microwatts per lumen
The effects of light are cumulative
Total exposure should not exceed 1,500hr for very sensitive materials: 600,000 for moderately sensitive material.
Light controlled through:
- Eliminate/ reduction UV radiation
- Reduction of duration of illumination
- Reduction of light level
https://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/MHI/chap4.pdf
Photo-documentation: Conserving photography is about recording accurate information on the condition of an object (before, during and after treatment take place). It reveals and shows the result of intervention.
Standard Images:
Flat: 2 shots, full recto (front), full verso (back) Image details should also include to reveals the deterioration on the art work.
- Close up: using macro lenses or setting on cameras.
- Magnification: using stereo or compound microscopes, to show up support structures such as paper fibers and media, surface qualities of ink and pigments.
- Raking light: can reveal textures and characteristics
- Transmitted light: using light boxes or light sheets. Can highlight the water mark and laid and chain lines in paper.
- Ultra Violet (UV): useful for revealing materials
- Infra-Red (IR): useful for revealing under drawings
Photo-documentation preparation:
- Equipment: camera, laptop
- Background: a clean neutral support such as Blue Kraft Manila Paper.
- Lightning: if the lights are positioned too far away the illumination is ineffectual and prone to be influenced by other lighting factors; if they are positioned too close they can visually “bleach” out colors and features of items being photographed. Additionally, consideration has to be taken to heat buildup near the lamps, particularly for heat sensitive material such as parchment
- Flash: avoid using this features
- Color balance: documentation photography should not be taken without due regard of color balance.
- Color cards: these are pre-printed card of spectrum of color and gray scales.
- Scale: to give idea of scale to an image
- Bracketing: to make the image darker or lighter
- Positioning: ensure that surfaces are clear of clutter and tools and equipment. Use sheet of Blue Kraft Manila.
- Carrying and supporting objects: ensure that the object is well supported, it’s always better to move the support than moving the object.
After photo-documentation (post-production)
- Filing or good housekeeping: immediately seek to move the image from the camera and file them within folders in readiness to insert them into the documentation.
- Photo post-production
- Storage/formats: JPEG: can reduce the image fidelity. Some image quality may be lost each time it is decompressed and re-compressed or cropped. TIFF is formatted differently to JPEG, using a system of raster graphics, or lossless formats which enable compression and editing without losing image quality.
- Archiving: on external hard drivers.
Drawing Media:
Classification furcating:
- Writing
- Drawing (famous on the west)
- Painting
Classification: geographic
- Eastern (scroll)
- Western
- Islamic
Classification: historical/ material type
Body color: famous in India
Black Ink made of carbon (base but not all of them)
Iron gall ink (starts as black and become brown)
South produce gum Arabic. Metal point attractive media on the west (mark line as sketches) Graphite to make mark; Tempera (body color) normally is a gum
Classification by composition
Modern media 19 century
Watercolor: use gums
Body color: wash produce in west
Tempera: is egg
Medium is used in paper most of the time organic and sensitive to water.
Classification by application
Dry/ wet requiring diluents
Drawing tools/ implements
Stylus, reed, brush, pen, ink; pen and wash; airbrush
Erasers, marker, styluses
To make artistic marks/ scratching
Classification by permanence
- AA- extremely permanent (extremely expensive)
- A- permanent
- B- moderate durable
- C- fugitive
This related to the light fastness of pigment and to biding medium stability
Metal point: look closer for tips or mark.
Charcoal, oiled charcoal and chalk
Oiled charcoal become solid and brown color
Black chalk 3D medium
Red chalk (red, black and white), 18 century
Pestles: man-made 1, 2 pigments to create shades, 18 century
They use pestles on the parchment
Crayon: waxed or oiled developed on the west they produce beautiful marks at the 18 century
Inks: can be aqueous liquid, paste or powder.
Can be pigment, that used in printing, or dye based.
Famous on west, in drawing and manuscript
Iron gall ink until 19 centuries it was the most popular ink.
Ink dye-based
Dye based ink produce more color of a given density per unit mass but dyes dissolve in liquid phase and have a tendency to soak into paper and if water based tend to bleed when it contact with water.
Water-base Chinese printmaking ink
Water based, woodcut Japanese printing ink
Watercolor (western technique)
Pigment was ground on porphyry with a small amount of water (vehicle) before adding diluents gum Arabic binder and drying to paste out in shells.
Watercolor/ color wash.
Gum Arabic: natural gum made of hardened sap from two species of the acacia tree.
Varnishes: large amount create cracks
Body color: famous in India
Gauche mixture of white pigments
Modern body color
If the ink faded (the black ink don’t faded because it had carbon based).
Science:
Remember:
- Green pigments had copper base in Europe. That’s why with the deterioration we see brown color instead of green; because of the copper base.
- Leather is acidic
- With the adhesive, natural material is always better than synthetic material. None of the adhesive will remove completely
Chemistry:
Atom is the smallest part of matter that represents a particles element.
The three major subatomic particles are:
- Proton P+ +1
- Neutron N° 0
- Electron e- -1
Subatomic Particles:
Atomic mass number= proton + neutron
The number of proton + neutron is the atomic mass number because each of these particles is understood to weight 1 atomic mass number.
- Carbon 12 scale, by international agreement, carbon contains 6 neutrons, 6 protons, has as atomic weight of exactly 12 amu. 1 amu is 1/12 of this Carbon
- O 16 scale, Oxygen contain 8 neutron and 8 proton, has an atomic weight of exactly 16 amu
Shielding:
- The inner of most shells can hold maximum of 2e-.
- Each of subsequent shell holds maximum of 8e-. This is called Octet.
- Inner shells electrons feel more of the positive charge
- Outer electrons feel less positive charge
Valence electrons:
The goal of bounding from the atoms point of view is to gain an octet, either by losing electrons or gaining them; because having an octet is the most stable position possible.
Electro-negativity:
To pull more electrons towards it is electro-negativity, carbon is a medium amount electro-negativity it still needs four electrons to complete its out shell.
LEWIST Dots rules:
Chemical Party:
- Hydrochloride + Zinc = element replacement
- Neon + Hydrogen = no attraction
- Hydrogen + Carbon = attraction (Carbon can attract 4 Hydrogen)
- Oxygen bonds with itself, but Hydrogen can break an Oxygen bond
- Water + Potassium = explosive reaction
Avogadro’s number:
Mole also spelled Mol, in chemistry, a standard scientific unit for measuring large quantities of very small entities such as atoms, molecules, or other specific particles.
Because atoms are so small, but the exact number of them matter for stoichiometry.
The number of units in a mole also bears the name Avogadro’s number.
Avogadro proposed that equal volumes of gases under the same conditions contain the same number of molecules, a hypothesis that proved useful in determining atomic and molecular weights and which led to the concept of the mole.
The value of Avogadro’s number is close to 6 x (a six followed by 23 naught)
It follows that 6 x atoms of hydrogen will have a mass of 1g.
As carbon has an atomic mass of 12, so 6 x atoms of carbon will weight 12g
Grams had special name which is Mole.
Ex: if you had mole of Na atoms and mole of Cl atoms, they could from NaCl.
Mol L-1 to mean moles/liters
We can’t measure the mol
Chemical bonding is attraction between atoms:
In some cases, the overall energy of the atoms is lower if they combine.
The paired electrons do not make bonds.
Covalent bonding:
Covalent bonding is sharing electrons. It can be even sharing between atoms without much difference in EN
Properties of covalent bonds:
- Can be solid liquid or gas
- Sometimes soluble in water, usually less than iconic bonds.
- Usually don’t conduct electricity
- Usually don’t conduct much heat
Ionic bonding:
If one atoms incredibly more electronegative than the other, it will take the electrons almost completely. The basis of the ionic bonding system is that metal atoms acquire the stable outer shell of eight electrons by completely shedding those few extra electrons. The one takes the electrons become anions (-) while the one that losses become a cation (+).
Properties of ionic bonding:
- Can be solid or liquid
- Soluble in water
- They have a high melting point
- As solid they form crystal (lattice structure with regular geometry)
- Mg Cl= MgC
- Ca Cl= Ca
- K O= O
| (Non-polar) Covalent | Polar covalent | Ionic |
| Even sharing of e- Negligible/ no difference in EN Ex: C | Uneven sharing of e- some difference in EIV. Ex: O | Very uneven sharing of e-. High difference in EN. Ex: table salt NaCl |
Polyatomic Ions
OH- Hydracids
Intermolecular bonds:
Intermolecular bonds are weaker forces that attract nearby atoms in different molecules or between parts of large molecules
The most relevant to use are:
- Hydrogen bonding
Thought weak, any hydrogen bond is an attraction between hydrogen in one molecule and the lone pair of electron in another. It’s not the same as a covalent bond with hydrogen and something else. Ethanol evaporates very quickly. Hydrogen with water
- Dipole-dipole forces
Dipole-dipole forces (interaction): Attraction between the positive bit of one polar molecule and the negative bit of another polar molecule.
- Dispersions forces
Dispersion forces or London dispersion forces, one of the severed types of Van der Walls force. The only negative attractive force between neutral atoms (noble gas) stronger as atoms become large
Solvent:
Is something that dissolves something else: normally a liquid, but can also be a solid or gas or any of those phase held in another phase.
Water is an inorganic solvent (doesn’t contain C). The phrase “like dissolves like” describe what solvent can dissolve.
Example: water is polar, salt is polar (ionic), salt dissolves in water.
Wax is non polar; wax dose not dissolve in water.
The teas chart: operates by assigning percent contribution of three major intermolecular forces
Carbon hydrogen (aliphatic/ aromatic)
20:80 toluenes: acetone
Nomenclature, part 1 acyclic alkanes
Basic structure
9 is the longest chain
Nomenclature, part 3 alkenes and alkynes
ene is for double bond
yne is for triple
Part 4: alcohols
Concentration & Moles:
Mole based on Avogadro’s number:
1 mole= 6.22 x 1023 atoms
Mole calculation examples:
0.6 moles of calcium (ca) is how many grams? 24 gca
It’s easy because we had 1 atoms just one conversation to make.
Molecule example:
0.6 moles of water H2O haw many grams? 10gH2O
Unit conversation example:
0.6 moles of water H2O is how many kilogram? 0.01 kilogram. In chemistry the unit for concentration are mol/dm molarity because 1 cubic decimeter = 1L it’s also mol/L, Molarity is abbreviation M
For example, we might use 0.1 M NaOH: that is 0.1 moles NaOH/ 1L H2O
Ex: 20 grams of NaOH go into 10ml water, what is the concentration?
Identify what we need
Mol(g) NaOH / L(ml) H2O
How do we convert the grams to moles?
Mass Concentration:
Properties of water:
Water H2O occurs as solid, liquid and gas. Water is formed of H__O__H
Hydrogen bonding happened only in liquid and solid
- Motion of water molecules in liquid water.
Cations may be dissolved by being surrounded by the more electronegative end of the water molecule:
Surface Tension:
If a water droplet is placed on a non-polar surface (say sized paper), it will bead up on the surface as a result of this surface tension: the resistance of a material to the increase of its surface area Surface tension is reflected in the contact angle of the given liquid on a given solid.
Viscosity
Viscosity: how a material flows. Also modified by intermolecular forces: weaker intermolecular forces = less viscous (more flow). Stronger = more viscous (less flow).
Viscosity is therefore affected by temperature: high temperatures = faster-moving molecules = less intermolecular forces = less viscous.
Volatility
Volatility: ease of transitioning from liquid to gas (how quickly the liquid evaporates/dries).
Condensation (gas > liquid) and evaporation (liquid > gas) exist in dynamic equilibrium: levels are maintained but molecules are constantly changing phase. Humidification or drying of paper shifts that equilibrium.
Purification
There are three common ways of purifying water in conservation: distillation, deionization, & reverse osmosis. There are other ways used in other industries also.
The solvent capacity of water increases when its (ion) saturation lowers.
The more dissolved stuff in water, the less it’s able to dissolve more.
By purifying it (removing some dissolved species), we can increase its solvent capacity.
There are five categories of particles that might be in water: suspended particles (non-soluble), dissolved inorganic compounds, dissolved organic compounds, microorganisms, and dissolved gases.
Distillation
Boiling water then condensing it.
Deionization
The Running impure water through an ion-exchange resin, Deionized water is often called “DI water”.
Conductivity
Conductivity is generally used to measure effectiveness of purification (whether cartridges are still good…): the more the ions dissolved in the water, the more current it will conduct.
It’s important to note that increasing the solvent capacity of water makes it a more aggressive solvent, and sometimes we just want to use normal tap water, or tap water in combination with distilled water.
Acids & Bases
A+B® AB
AB®A+B (these formulas mean the same thing)
REACTANTS PRODUCTS (Is the same as)
PRODUCTS REACTANTS
K = [products]
[Reactants]
Acids donate protons (H+)
Bases accept protons (H+)
The pH determination measures the extent to which the paper alters the hydrogen-hydroxyl equilibrium of pure water. The pH (acidity) may be important because of its effect on the permanence of the paper. Although the acidity may be determined as the amount of water-soluble acidity by titration with alkali, the hydrogen ion concentration (pH) is more indicative of the stability of paper than is the total acidity.
The term acidity describes a concept that is completely different from the pH concept. It is important to understand that pH is only related to the actual concentration of hydronium ions that are liberated from an acid compound dissolved in water at equilibrium. The pH does not provide any information on the concentration of weak acids that may liberate additional hydronium ions if the equilibrium is disturbed. Therefore, pH measurements do not provide sufficient information to judge the acidity of paper or the effectiveness of a deacidification intervention.
Buffering – A buffer maintains the pH of a solution at an approximate value despite small additions of acid or base.
What is pH? – pH is a measure of the hydronium concentration in aqueous solution.
OR we can say: pH is a measure of the proportion of hydronium to hydroxide because of course we can tell one from the other.
The meaning of KA and PKA – Ka tells us the balance of the equilibrium and whether the acid is quite a lot dissociated or not. pKa is a calculation based on Ka and tell us the same thing.
Large Ka = small pKa = strong acid
Papermaking:
What is paper? – Paper is a thin material manufactured in thin sheets from the pulp of wood or other fibrous substances. It is used for writing, drawing, or printing on, or as wrapping material. The paper making process is said to have been developed in China during the early second century. Paper was China invention that reached Europe via the Muslim world in the 12 century. http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/ren/projects/lima/paper/ William Caxton is the first Englishman to introduce a printing into England in 1476 and was the first English retailer of printed books.
Paper and printing materials are made of pulpwood or any other materials suitable for processing papers. The process was invented in China due to the rise in the need for writing materials. The process was later distributed to other parts of the Europe. Papers could be made locally or homemade, industrial, or handmade. Therefore, it depends on nature or the use of the paper being manufactured (Messner and Srebotnik 1994). The process of making papers from pulpwood differs depending on the nature of production. For instance, the industrial manufacture of paper involves the use of long and large amounts of pulps which are compressed and broken down individually to obtain the fibers needed in the processing and making of papers.
The process of paper making starts from the forest where the raw materials for making papers which are trees are prepared and presented to the paper-making industries. Subsequently, the obtained trees from the forest are passed through debarking machines that removes the bark of the tree and the rough parts of the tree (Zhi, Chan and Minns 2005). The debarking machine also helps in cutting the pulp logs into a one-inch size that is used in making the paper. The pieces obtained from the debarking process are cleaned and washed in a high-pressure chamber. The chamber helps in refining, bleaching, and cleaning of the papers manufactured with chemicals that could help in preserving the papers. Therefore, preservation and conservation of papers start from the manufacturing stage.
Full illuminating of Europe papermaking on the link below: http://paper.lib.uiowa.edu/european.php
A Paper may be handmade, machine-made and mould-made paper.
Mould-made paper: Mould made papers simulate handmade paper in a mechanized process. The mould is not held by the hand; instead it’s replaced by a slowly rotating cylinder mould, which picks up the paper stock from the vat. The paper is then deposited onto a continuously moving woolen felt.
Hand-made and Mould-made paper
Papers have chemical and physical properties. Paper properties are determined by the character and properties of its component parts; its formation/manufacture process; and its aging and application/use.
Physical Properties
Flammability- Flammability is the ability of a substance to burn or ignite, causing fire or combustion. The degree of difficulty required to cause the combustion of a substance is quantified through fire testing.
Malleable – being able to be hammered or pressed into shape without breaking or cracking.
Tensile strength – the resistance of a material to breakage under tension
Reflectivity – the property of reflecting light or radiation, especially reflectance as measured independently of the thickness of a material.
Solubility – Solubility is the property of a solid, liquid, or gaseous chemical substance called solute to dissolve in a solid, liquid, or gaseous solvent to form a solution of the solute in the solvent.
Conductivity – the degree to which a specified material conducts electricity, calculated as the ratio of the current density in the material to the electric field which causes the flow of current.
Laid paper and Wove paper:
Laid paper is a type of paper having a ribbed texture imparted by the manufacturing process. In the pre-mechanical period of European papermaking (from the 12th century into the 19th century), laid paper was the predominant kind of paper produced. Its use, however, diminished in the 19th century, when it was largely supplanted by wove paper.
Before the mechanization of papermaking, the laid pattern was produced by the wire sieve in the rectangular mold used to produce single sheets of paper. A worker would dip the mold into a vat containing diluted linen pulp, then lift it out, tilt it to spread the pulp evenly over the sieve, and, as the water drained out between the wires, shake the mold to lock the fibers together. In the process, the pattern of the wires in the sieve was imparted to the sheet of paper.
Wove paper is a writing paper with a uniform surface, not ribbed or watermarked. The papermaking mould’s wires run parallel to each other to produce laid paper, but they are woven together into a fine wire mesh for wove paper. The originator of this new papermaking technique was in England (known in Europe as Vélin).
Laid and Chain Line:
Water mark:
Definition: Watermarks are identification marks produced during the paper making process. They were used as a means to identify the papermaker or the trade guild that manufactured the paper. The Marks were created by a wire sewn onto the paper mold.
China, Papermaking (Xuan paper): start in the early of 8th century.
Ingredients:
- Main ingredient of making the Xuan paper is the sandy land of rice straws.
- Wingceltis trees which it comes from Jing country.
- Clear water, which it comes from the rainfall
The drying yard is the main recourse of Xuan paper, after being soaked, steamed and boiled, the sandy land straws and the Wingceltis barks are spread out and sunned on the hillsides, after being exposed to the sunlight and rain for half a year they may complete the process of bleaching all by themselves, this way of bleaching process is one of the longest periods in paper making and give the natural color and luster to the Xuan paper.
After the process of natural bleaching the transmutation journey starts:
- Hulling barks
- Pounding straws
- Cutting barks
- Trampling
- Washing
- Mixing
The first step of making the paper is to dredging up. The thickness uniformity and integration of the paper all depend on these actions.
- Squeezing
- Sunning paper
- Cutting paper
One of Xuan paper advantage is to resisting the water; don’t absorb the water.
Different types of paper-making processes have been discussed but do not entail any uniqueness in the paper industry. For instance, the mould-made paper making process explains the process of a manufacture of a single paper. The process would be viable but would not account for the expenses used. Looking at economic nature of the process, not many manufacturing companies would utilize the process. Therefore, the machine-made paper making procedure is the only usable and viable procedure in the paper making industry.
Prints Identification:
Prints and paper artifacts are named as the most important history-telling components that require maximum protection regarding conservation and preservation of papers. However, the protection of paper and print artifacts may differ while some may require caution and necessary protection that would not interfere with the durability of paper. Therefore, the identification of a print could be useful to the conservators in an effort of analyzing a print before deciding the reliable method to preserve the paper artifact. Therefore, the available methods used in identifying prints include relief printing, intaglio printing, and planographic printing (Oujja et al. 2005).
Methods of identification:
Eye magnification:
Tools needed;
Magnifying glass
Linen counter
Low power microscope X30
Illumination- Ambient
Raking
Transmitted light
Three Basic Forms or “Families” of processes:
- Relief printing: The principles of relief printing raised areas accept ink for image.
Relief printing involves the traditional process of identifying the paper prints where a piece of wood is carved hence; raising the areas to be inked. The area is covered by applying ink all over the part, and then another paper is used to cover the page through the application of pressure towards the print. A good example is the wood block printing or typesetting.
- Intaglio printing: an intaglio accepts ink for image. You can know it with raking light.
The second method of identifying a print known as intaglio involves applying an ink drawing on a surface of an object then applying adequate pressure in transferring the ink to the indents of the page (Oujja et al. 2005). The process would involve engraving and etching. Engraving involves the process of utilizing copper plates and a V-shaped cutting tool. The cutting tool is used to remove metal slivers on the surface of a print hence; leaving engraved lines clean and pointed at each other. Additionally, etching process involves the use of acid to digest the wax on top of the copper plate. Therefore, the etching lines are precise to note because they have uneven wax.
- Planographic printing: the principle of planographic printing oil based ink (image area) and water (no image area) on same surface plan.
Planographic is a process of identifying a print in where an image is drawn on a greasy or oily surface. Subsequently, the other plate is washed in the parts without ink. The process may include chromolithography, tinted lithography, chalk-manner lithography, and transfer lithography. Therefore, the process would be followed by analyzing magnifying the image in search of a proof of the chromography components (Kuhfuss and De-La-Rue 1988). Additionally, the print examiner should check for the presence or absence of plate marks in print. The absence of plate marks means that the print is a lithograph. The next step involves checking the flatness of the print as well as checking for shade or illusion. The blurriness of a print should ascertain the availability of lithograph hence; ascertaining of the print. We should be careful during the treatment of the prints, as on the real life the press that we see in the verso may be gone if we flat the surface. This is the printing history of that time Intaglio prints had 3D dimension, if the print didn’t have 3D it’s not intaglio. Prints (Copper or Metal) had plate mark, wood engraving do not have plate mark.
Print ID Keywords:
Stipple, color, Lithograph
Le Blond Print
Identifying features of deterioration:
- Adhesive residue & staining
- Bleaching (whiting appear on paper surface)
- Cockling
- Creases: creases should be treated carefully due to their weakness and could crack easily
- Cropping
- Fading
- Folds
- Foxing: main cause of foxing are lights, humidity and the interaction with poor materials such as mounts, boards, frames and wall.
- Loss
- Mount & supports: poor/cheap materials react/effect negatively on the prints, poor quality materials mix of release oxide that effect the prints.
- Migration of media, either ink or pigments, it happened from unstable storage condition, humidity, lights.
- Off-set, of setting
- Wood pulp oxidation
- Shives & other foreign material
- Tears & losses
- Water stain & tide-line
Examples:
- Letter press newspaper: deterioration features are: folding and light deterioration, the newspaper was folded and only one area was exposed to the light.
- Foxing, how are the foxing interaction with the ink and the place without ink had clear area (poor ink and poor environment condition)
- Baxter print: light deterioration and poor board mount deterioration, dark line from the oxidation of the board and light effect.
Accretions particles of material which sit on adhere (not glued) at the object’s surface.
- Spot color lithograph, the Bodleian library
Adhesive look like animal glue or Gum glue
Making four-flap Enclosure:
- Measure the object H, W, D
- Start with: W mark on 3 places to make sure that the line is strait, D, W, D, W
- After that H, D, H, D, H, D
Mechanical Surface Cleaning:
It’s the most important part in the stabilizing process of historical paper objects, as dirt can be a potential source of deterioration.
Mechanical treatment is applied first before wet process because particulate dirt will penetrate the micro-web of fibers and after swelling and drying it will remain trapped inside the fiber structure. And surface cleaning addressed before media consolidation but not always.
Methods and material:
- Work on clean surface, remove all clutters and support the work with clean paper (create a tray)
- Examine the work
- Start cleaning the surface dirt lightly by dusting the work with soft flexible brush, verso corner and after that start cleaning recto corner
- When choosing the cleaning methods consider the natural of artifact, the type of dirt to be removed.
- The eraser product form: eraser block, grated eraser, tacky Groomstick. Preferred brands: the vinyl eraser Mars Plastic (Steadler), Magic Rub (Faber-Castell).
- A Melinex off-cut can be used to avoid touching the work and create finger prints
- A Terylene bag is used to manipulate the crumbs.
- Smoke sponge, use in light dubbing action avoiding rubbing action.
Humidification of paper:
Humidification is introducing moisture to an object, it can be overall or localized, and it’s either directly from moist air or through contact layers of moisture paper or other materials. Ancient and traditional artifacts such as papers have the tendency of folding or acquiring components that result to the drying of the object. For instance, a paper may be folded and kept for a long time thus; the process of unfolding the paper could break the entire picture or the paper. Therefore, the preservation process would involve introducing moisture in the form of humidity towards the artifact that would help ease the hardness thus; prolonging its life (Ogino, Kopotic and Mannino 1985). Reasons behind humidification may include the need for flexibility and brittleness of paper. Similarly, humidification is encouraged when a document is required in a fallen nature. Therefore, the conservators would analyze the nature of the paper before commencing the process of humidification. However, some factors should be considered before exposing the paper towards humidity or moisture. For example, some papers would change their worth after being exposed to water of moisture. Similarly, photographs may lose color after being in contact with water.
Factors to consider before Humidification
Before applying the humidification on paper the examiner should always test for sensitivity of water. Consider there may be more than one type of ink in a single document. Also any historical evidence should be kept alongside the documentation. Prepare all the material that we need in advance. Carry the object on a support material like Hollytex or Reemay. One should not apply liquid water to sensitive media such as watercolors, graphite and destructive to friable media such as charcoal, pastels etc.
Methods of humidification
The methods used in humidification may differ depending on the nature of the paper. One of the methods used is the use of Gore-Tex laminate that helps in passing water through it as vapor. The component “Gore-Tex” is fused with polyester with a dense material (Decoux 2002). Therefore, the piece of the folded paper is placed between the Gora-Tex laminate, the polyester, and the damp blotter hence; commencing the process of humidification. The damp blotter should be wetted as many times as possible paving the way for the Gora-Tex laminate to absorb the moisture escaping from the blotter. The moisturized paper should unfold slowly through the process until the entire paper is wetted and unfolds easily.
Additionally, humidification may be done through the use of a chamber. The chamber is a simple mechanical set of apparatus that can be locally made easily. It only requires a plastic container, water, towel, light diffusing panel, and some weight. Therefore, the towel is placed on top of the water plastic container and the diffusion panel on top of the towel. The folded paper is then placed on top of the diffusion panel for a minimum of ten minutes to help it absorb the required amount of moisture (Decoux 2002). Lastly, the item is ready to be unfolded with care to avoid the breakage f tearing the pieces apart. Humidification is useful because of its simplicity in retaining the shape of paper. The last part of the process is drying and flattening which is simply the use of blotters and weights to compress the document between the blotters hence; enhancing the flattening and drying of the paper.
Another method known as sponge/ brush can be used with robust papers and stable media such as carbon and oil-based printing inks. With sponge add small amount of water to the sponge, squeeze it and press gently on the paper (sponging). With brush is tapping apply it from bottom to top, top to bottom and finally from center to the edges.
Spray humidification: conservation spray either with plane water or water +IMS (industrial methylated spirit with 95% of ethanol and 5% methanol. Spray the back first if we worried about the media. The finer the droplet size the better, spray it far from the work. Remember that any spray can produce big-size droplets of water.
If we spray the work and the big-size droplet create Tedline, better to spray it with IMS+ water 50%/50% to avoid the Tedline marks.
Ultrasonic Humidification: disperses cold water mist, moister control is usually set on half and the humidity control on maximum (max 80%). Add Gore-Tex only inside the washing tray and the shining surface facing the object. Polythene sheet to cover the washing tray creates closed humid environment. The hose of the humidifier can be placed inside but far from the object. RH inside the container can be checked the relative humidity and temperature Gore-Tex and Sympatex: are vapor permeable membranes which allow only vapor and liquid to reach the object.
Steps of humidification system using Gore-Tex:
- Empty washing tray
- Wet Capillary matting
- Layer of Gore-Tex
- Supporting material such as Reemey
- Seal it with Polythene.
Paper washing:
Paper washing is the process of removing unwanted materials and particles from the piece of paper or the artifact used. For instance, washing of paper helps in stabilizing the components of cellulose in minimizing the risks of oxidation. Similarly, water is used in washing the paper because of its solubility which absorbs every unwanted component in a paper. Water carries the soluble components out of the paper making it durable and reducing oxidation. There are various procedures involved in washing papers or artifacts depending on the nature of the paper (Van et al. 2011). For instance, several procedures use magnesium salts because of their solubility in water. Other techniques involved in the washing of papers includes immersion washing, float washing, gore-tex washing, brush wetting, blotter washing, and much more. The processes differ with the soluble components used in washing the paper.
Washing of paper involves an analysis of several factors before deciding the suitable process that would not interfere with the nature of the artifact. For instance, one must understand the philosophical issues involved with the paper being washed. Additionally, the conservators must test the paper by using a spot testing to ascertain the effects of washing with the selected procedure before commencing the process to the entire paper (Van et al. 2011). Therefore, the factors would determine the best procedure to use in the washing process thus; indicating the value of the paper or the artifact.
Properties of useable components in paper washing
- Water is a relatively non-volatile polar solvent.
- Cellulose has strong affinity for water; fibers can attract and hold water molecules.
- Swelling occurs in the fibers as cellulose to cellulose hydrogen bonds are replaced by cellulose to water hydrogen bonds.
Mechanism involves the transfer of degradation product through diffusion to the water. When it dissolves, the element goes out from paper to the water. After paper washing the artifact is followed by a flushing with another object as a follow up bath. In most of the studies magnesium (Mg) salts were used for treatment. Magnesium (Mg) and not calcium (Ca) salts were chosen because of their solubility, which allowed treatment at higher solution concentrations. Cellulose literature also suggested that magnesium is able to stabilize cellulose during oxidation.
Aged paper rarely responds to water in a homogeneous way. Badly oxidization areas, patches of degraded sizing, foxing stains, folds and creases will quickly take up water while the rest of the sheet may do so more slowly or resist wetting altogether.
For washing paper to be successful, paper must be wettable and capable of absorbing water. Wettable means here the relative degree to which water will spread into paper and absorption means the assimilation of water by paper with or without chemical interaction.
Treatment Variation:
The processes involved in washing the paper would differ with the procedures, steps, and chemicals involved.
- Immersion washing:
Immersion of paper is the wetting of an entire paper into the water. The paper could be severely damaged or acidified thus the need for an overall washing would accommodate the use of immersion process. Immersion is only viable when the paper is highly acidified. It helps in softening, removing unwanted attachments, and retaining the color of the paper (Lienardy and Van-Damme 1990). We need a big tray to accommodate safe handling, white tray recommended to allow us to see the color change in water. Support the object in a bath using bondina, melinex or wet strength paper when you place the object inside the tray, carry the relaxed object on the support, let the center come in contact with the water first and gently lay it down by lowering the diagonally opposite comers of support into the water. Easier to control, fewer or no air bubbles trapped. Submerge the object from one end to other avoid touching the media. (Remember to mist if the paper curls upwards rather than touching it to submerge it) Change the water depending on amount of discoloration moving out. Follow baths with conditional pH or other agents
- Capillary wash: diplomatic float washing
Float washing is basically to float the essential piece of paper on top of a water solution with the help of air-pockets. Air-pockets help in buoyancy because the paper is required to be on top of the water used.
The steps starts with; wset the capillary with normal water, place the object on top of the capillary, put the Holly Tex and press, swap with bone folder, remove the Holly Tex and cover the tray with glass board and place weight on the top.
How to explain: we use a fabric that holds moisture, such as capillary matting which controls the water seeping onto the paper object, knows as capillary wash. Followed with placing the paper object directly on the matt, by letting the center to come in contact with the capillary mat directly first and gently lay it down by lowering the diagonally opposite comers of support into the mat and a piece of Holly-Tex on the paper object, sweep it with bone-folder allowing the degradation product to transfer. Board of glass covers the tray to prevent the evaporation within two hours. It was evident from the leaching that discoloration was lifting.
- Blotter washing
The procedure known as blotter washing is similar to the float washing despite that blotter washing is useful to papers that are torn and sensitive to water. Gore-Tex is a process that involves the moisture or vapor (Lienardy and Van-Damme 1990). A paper being washed is placed on top of the water that has moisture and with the help of the Gora-Tex the amount of vapor passing through the object thus; helping with the discoloration. We need a large tray for support and humidify 2 piece of blotters, inch more than the object size wet the blotter and the object (object to be wetter than the blotter, (the blotter’s capillary action draws moisture and with it soluble degradation product). Try to not create any bubbles between layers. Place supporting material such as Holly Tex or bonding between the layers and after that cover the sandwich with glass board on the top the wet blotter on the back will soak the yellowing we avoid placing the blotters on the top to protect the image after 10 min check the paper object, re-spray the paper and the blotter evenly and cover it again when we can stop? Change the blotter position spray it and wait for 20 min if there is no yellowing at the bottom we can stop the process
GUIDELINES FOR WASHING
Based on results from other research (Tang 1981; Bogaard 2001), the following guidelines are recommended:
- pH 6-7 for materials that are potentially sensitive to alkali (e.g. alkali-sensitive colorants; very weak or over-bleached papers or textiles), neutral (pH 6–7) treatment solutions should be used. Washing with neutral calcium or magnesium salt solutions will increase the removal of extractable acids. Magnesium sulfate solutions should only be used at low concentrations (20 mg/L). Immersion in calcium salt solutions followed by DI water rinse have been shown to be very effective in removing acids from oxidized paper without causing damage, and in turn protecting these papers during artificial thermal aging (Bogaard 2001).
- pH 8.0-8.5 For materials that can tolerate up to pH 8–8.5 (e.g. some iron-gall ink corroded papers; old but fairly robust papers or textiles), using diluted calcium hydroxide (or alkaline water) is probably the most effective way of washing. It is much more effective in removing acids than DI water wash. It also adds a small quantity of calcium to the paper. A 1–2:1000 dilution from a freshly prepared saturated calcium hydroxide solution will give a final solution with approximately 9–10 mg/L of Ca and pH of 8–8.5.
- pH >8.5 For artifacts that can tolerate high alkalinity (e.g. papers or textiles with no alkali-sensitive colorants or coatings, and those that are new or in very good condition), imparting an alkaline reserve is the best way of protecting the artifact from aging. The bicarbonates are more soluble; also a solution saturated with CO2 (unpressurized) is not alkaline, it only becomes alkaline as it dries. For some treatments this may be important. Calcium bicarbonate (sat. ~360 mg/L) are much less soluble than magnesium, but the final pH is also slightly lower. For treatment of iron-gall ink corroded papers, this may be a determining factor. Magnesium bicarbonate can cause some papers to darken or turn yellow, but it also leaves a much higher alkaline reserve because of higher solubility (>3000 mg/L). Calcium hydroxide (sat. ~900 mg/L) have the highest pH. Its absorption by paper is also the highest, and therefore it is most effective in neutralizing acids. All three chemicals have their advantages and disadvantages. The final choice will depend on the susceptibility of the artifact (assessed from pre-treatment testing) and the judgment and preference of the conservator.
Dying methods:
Air drying is followed by other methods like between interleaving material and blotters and under appropriate weight with support materials in between such as bondina.
Suction table until surface dry. Always operate in a clean room to avoid airborne pollutants.
Stretch drying with edges weighted or edges adhered to Japanese paper drying panel (karibari) or attached to false edges and then edges adhered onto with paste onto a board. In press between layers of required protective material between Gore-Tex for a very reduced rate of desorption
SUCTION POINT
Made by Alan Buchanan
The suction point is let into the centre of a stainless steel surface of 770mm x 470mm (30” x 18”). Controllable suction on special designed table, on blotter or cotton sheets dampened with brush or spray flushes degradation product out of paper.
WORKTOP
The vacuum surface measures 100mm X 100mm and is of sintered polyethylene. The whole stainless steel worktop can be lifted from the machine to stand in a fume cupboard or on a larger work surface.
Suction table:
The suction table was introduced for better control and faster water flow during washing of single-sheet items. The suction table was originally developed to treat difficult problems in paper conservation. It has proven to be a useful tool that allows the conservator to add to his or her repertoire of treatment techniques. Conservators are increasingly finding it an alternative to more traditional methods. For instance, in spot and stain removal many spots, such as foxing can be reduced or removed simultaneously with overall wetting or local applications of moisture without subjecting the object to a water bath. There are times when the conservator becomes suspicious of the medium and even though testing does not indicate that the medium is water soluble the conservator’s experience suggests that caution is warranted. The suction table allows for more controlled treatments. The conservator is able to stop in mid treatment if there is any indication of movement of the colors. For purposes of the demonstration mock-up designs were created by Candice Botts and Victoria Jeffries of the Balboa Art Conservation Center. They tried to simulate various paper artifacts where treatment on the suction table might be the preferred method. For instance, artifacts with the following conditions might be considered for suction table treatment:
- Works with creases and cockling that require manipulation during flattening.
- Delicate media that cannot be covered over, especially when wet, such as unfixed pastel, gouache and watercolor.
- Textured papers or impasto that is crushable.
- Three-dimensional objects such as collage, molded papers, embossed prints, and objects with seals.
Relaxation of the Object
The use of moisture in conjunction with the suction table is a two step operation
The first step is to relax the object for flattening and to achieve contact with the receiving surface of the table such as a blotter. The second step is to wet the object to an appropriate degree while under suction pressure to move staining materials out of the paper. Moisture can be introduced into the artifact through humidification or by spray wetting with water or a water/alcohol combination. Brush wetting can sometimes be used in combination with spray wetting.1 the relaxing technique, whether a single step or a combination of techniques, is decided on at the discretion of the conservator or to meet the demands of the particular object under treatment.
Suction Table Notes
- Centered polyurethane on top of vacuum table, acts as a filter.
- Using vacuum table is a controlled treatment for treating “suspicious media”
- Must be sure that paper allows the sucking action so that water can actually be moved straight through paper and down into table, if paper is super dense or has incredibly high surface tension, it will make it more difficult for solvents to be sucked down into table.
- Can perform spot bleaching and washing on the table with brushes in this way
- Risk of media sinking into paper fibers.
- Also risk of fugitive media feathering across surface of paper
- Reduced surface area / increased force of sucking by putting polyurethane mask over table where object will not rest on table
- On this table, use old bed linens rather than a blotter because air passes through much more effectively
- Important to make sure edges of mask are secure on tabletop
- Can also humidify paper on suction table- Eleni demonstrated this by spraying object while vacuum was running
- Important to make object completely flat on surface on vacuum table before turning on suction- this will prevent the vacuum creating creases or bends in the object, Eleni did this by pressing object against table with bondina before beginning controlled water washing
-Can see polyurethane mask surrounding object
-Brushing water for controlled cleaning onto surface of object
-Object flattened against surface of vacuum table with bondina
-Object turned over to reveal acidity and pollutants washed out of object onto the old bed linen lining table beneath the object
Removing or taking the backing:
Materials and equipment:
Water, solvent bath, trays for floating or soaking object (should be
large enough to allow for adequate handling of object and use of additional tools e.g. spatula while object is in bath). May need larger trays for “tray-within-tray process” (See 24.4.4. enzymes below). Stainless steel, enamel or homemade trays of polyester film or polyethylene are necessary for solvent work. Support materials such as polyester web, nylon screen or polyester film to permit safe handling of wet object or support on which to float object or surface on which to lay object face down for in-treatment procedures. Water source: Should be conveniently located to permit repeated filling and emptying of tray blotters to drain water from object.
Miscellaneous: sprayer, wetting agent or alcohol to assist in wetting object prior to bathing; ammonium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide or magnesium bicarbonate solutions to adjust pH of water bath; solvents appropriate to removal of rubber cement, dry mount or non-aqueous adhesive.
Remember: humidify the object paper before starting removing the backing, keep the paper moist always, start with assessing and cut any access. Remove, cut and scrapping away, use tweezers and apply water with fine brush. Scrapping working down from the back and choose tools that work better for you.
Deacidification of paper:
What is deacidification? It’s the process of adding an alkaline buffering agent into an acidic paper (pH6.0 and below) in order to preserve the paper. It’s applied after washing treatment because it is required to stay in the paper, also it’s required prior to bleaching treatment.
In the treatment of library and archive material it had been applied prescriptively in conjunction with deacidification as a preventive measure to retard future deterioration (Barrow 1972, Hey 1979, Pork 1996). Deacidification was essential for the purpose of preventing the yellowing of the paper from the reactions between acid and the pulp used. Simple methods of deacidification such as spraying would hinder the reaction or corrosion of the paper thus; scientists and traditional theorists had invented immersion and brushing as the most influential methods to facilitate deacidification (Bluher and Vogelsanger 2001).
Methods of application
- Immersion
- Spraying
- Brushing
Length of the treatment usually no more than 20 min
Preparing the Calcium Hydroxide solution (Lime water CH)
All the deacidification solutions require to be made up freshly.
It’s made by dissolving calcium hydroxide powder in distilled water.
We need 2.5L of distilled water and 2g of calcium hydroxide for every 1L. The total is 5g of calcium hydroxide (Sequeira, Casanova and Cabrita 2006).
We add the distilled water with the calcium hydroxide gradually, 0.5L until 2.5L.
It forms a solution with pH that can reach 12pH, whish extremely high.
Shake the solution and leave it to settle. (Don’t shake just before using)
Don’t forget to date the solution
To use: the solution must be diluted one to one with distilled water to reach 7.5-9.5pH for immersion, spray or brushing.
Disadvantage of CH deacidification treatment:
- The resulting calcium crystals do not bind strongly to cellulose due to the particle size.
- CH can deacidify too effectively sometimes if the immersion solution pH is not adjusted carefully (Sequeira, Casanova and Cabrita 2006).
- The solution is easy to prepare but it is not stable in the presence of air.
- We can’t use it immediately; we need to wait for 30 min.
Magnesium Bicarbonate – Magnesium Hydrogen Carbonate
To prepare the solution we will need 2.5L of distilled water and 10 g hydroxide magnesium.4g magnesium hydroxide powder in 1 liter of distilled water.
Mix 500ml of distilled water with the magnesium hydroxide first and pour 500 ml until reaching 2.5L. Add carbonate oxide gas to the mix for half an hour to absorb the gas and mix.
Papers are immersed for 20 minutes. The pH of the solution is around 7, lower than CH.
CH considers a gentler method. With immersion, it is advisable to place the object on a support recto side down so any crystal from the water surface will deposit on the verso.
With CH bath, we mix it with distilled water+ acetic acid 5% to reach 9, 9.5 pH immersed for 20 minutes.
Resizing
Sizing or resizing is the process of protecting a paper or print from damage as well as enhancing durability and conservation. There are two types of resizing which include internal and external resizing. Internal resizing involves the process of adding traditional ingredients in the pulp manufacturing while the external resizing includes simple chemical treatment of a specific paper (Ardelean et al. 2007). The external process of resizing may use the emulsion procedure in commencing the process. Therefore, the process uses water resistant chemicals such as a styrene-based hydrophobic polymer. The chemical is helpful in providing water resistance components thus; increasing the durability and conservation process of the print. Sizing is the application of a material, generally an adhesive, to paper to impart certain desirable qualities. Internal sizing refers to the addition of this substance to the pulp during manufacture principally to decrease wettability. Sizing is the application of an adhesive to the paper pulp stock pre-sheet formation to impart wet strength. There are two types of sizing
- Internal sizing (tub/ vat sizing)
- Surface sizing.
Purpose of sizing: To impart strength to the sheet, improve abrasion resistance and dimensional stability, protect against chemical, environmental or mechanical degradation, and modify surface, texture, character and appearance. The purpose of resizing, a conservation treatment, is to reintroduce characteristics lost through degradative influences or conservation treatment. Resizing is rarely an isolated treatment; resizing may also serve to stabilize media.
The procedure of resizing started in the early traditional era after the emergence of paper-making procedures. The ancient method of internal resizing involved the boiling of animal materials with water to obtain gelatin as one of the agents of resizing in the ancient chemistry in paper preservation (Park and Park 2004). Therefore, the process of sizing or resizing was done simply to the internal resizing which provided a good condition towards the preservation and conservation of the papers or prints.
Factors to consider in resizing:
- Future use of artifact. Object will be handled or exposed to dust.
- Resizing imparts strength to the sheet and can improve the soil, grease, tear and abrasion resistance of paper, thereby protecting it from effects of handling and fingerprints. If the object will not be handled
- The need for resizing is less critical; however, it still may be desirable. Aesthetic and ethical considerations.
- Changes in the reflectance and refraction characteristics of the paper media.
- When an object is resized overall, the sizing agent may sit on the surface of the design layer and alter its visual character. Such changes may become more evident as the object ages and the media and/or sizing agent deteriorate.
- Loss of evidentiary value.
- If resizing treatment is being considered, it usually follows washing and/or other conservation treatments which have already changed fundamentally the artifactual nature of the object, and have removed a large portion of the original size. Reversibility.
- Although many of the resizing materials in use are expected to remain soluble upon aging, the nature of the interactions between the resizing agent and the cellulose surface structure makes complete removal of the resizing material unlikely. As a practical matter, resizing should be considered as largely irreversible. Surface character.
- Resizing may dramatically alter the surface nature of sheets. By swelling the fibers, resizing can disrupt and “open up” a previously compacted, dense and smooth surface. Color changes due to earlier treatment.
In some cases, when the sheet has become unnaturally and starkly white, perhaps as the result of past treatment, resizing by immersion in certain agents can reduce the starkness of tone. The effect is extremely subtle. Conservators have found methyl cellulose and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose to be effective.
Common resizing agents are:
Gelatin, cellulose ethers (most commonly methyl cellulose and Klucel G) parchment animal glue, starch, Methyl cellulose is used as a resizing agent, a media consolidant and a poultice. Although methyl cellulose has been used in very dilute solutions (as low as 0.02%), it is more commonly used in the range 0.25–0.75%). The choice of concentration will be related in part to the molecular weight of the cellulose ether. During resizing, the material makes the surface of the sheet extremely slippery and manipulation can be difficult.
Prepare solutions:
Immersion
MC is better prepared in advance. Stir the measured powder into the measured water and allow the granules too swell until we have a clear solution. It would be best if kept in the fridge to speed this process up. Alternatively the granules are first in hot water with the remaining water added later 0.25% MC – (12.5gm in 5Lts), 0.75% MC- (37.5gm in 5Lts)
Surface-treated: mix with cold water for immediate water solubility.
0.25% MC0.75% MC (Immersion)
Gelatin
Gelatin is evaluated based on two colloidal properties: viscosity of solution and stiffness of gel (Bloom strength). Gelatin is insoluble in cold water, but will absorb moisture with swelling. The swollen gel will go into solution when warmed to about 120°F (49°C), forming a gel again when cooled. The swollen gel will dissolve in hot water, hot aqueous glycerin, hot acids, alkalis and salts. It is insoluble in most organic solvents except materials such as water-soluble phenols and carboxylic acids. Concentrated mineral acids or alkalis dissolve gelatin with considerable hydrolysis taking place.
Prepare solutions:
Powder gelatin is allowed to swell in room temperature and a portion of the measured distilled water for 30 minutes. Stirring is recommended for the first 5 minutes with 20 minutes rest in between. Gelatin suspension to be fully dissolved over a hot plate to 45C, over 50C thermal degradation can be a risk. When totally dissolved the solution to be kept over low heat in Pyrex or metal tray for the duration of sizing in order to maintain 35C for conservation treatment. 0.25% gelatin – (12.5gm in 5Lts), 0.75% gelatin – (37.5gm in 5Lts). We use 7.5gm in 1Lts.
Mixing gelatin powder in distilled room temperature water until it fully melted and waits for 30 minutes.
Boil it until it reaches 50C, and after that wait until it goes down to 35C
To avoid degradation of the gelatin, the gelatin should be allowed to swell in pure, cold water for thirty minutes or until fully swollen. (Some forms may require as much as two hours). Then it is cooked in a double boiler at the lowest possible temperature (industrial practice suggests 45°C–60°C) and for the shortest possible time necessary to allow the material to “dissolve” (actually, to form a uniform colloidal dispersion). The size should be used as soon as solution is achieved (subject to temperature considerations) and should not be reused. A final solution temperature of 32°C–54°C is usually effective.
Immersion
0.25% gelatin0.75% gelatin
Methods:
- Immersion
- Brushing (most common)
- Spraying
For brushing we use 3 different paper material to apply the solution
MC 0.25% and 0.75%, Gelatin 0.25% and 0.75%, Klucel G 1% in ethanol (50-50)
- Filter 2. Chromacity 3. Blotter
Applying klucel G 1% Klucel G solution
Applying gelatin 0.25% and 0.75% Applying MC 0.25% and 0.75%
Adhesives:
The adhesives should be reversible or soluble; consolidation is an irreversible treatment as this would cause disturbance and further loss of pigment.
Wheat starch (WS) paste:
Wheat starch makes a smooth adhesive that remains tacky, even when diluted to a thin consistency. Once dry, it produces a strong, reliable bond, excellent ageing characteristics, strong adhesion, form a clear, flexible film.
The resulting adhesive can be made to practical requirements of wetness, strength and viscosity.
WS is used for repair and lining.
Important to use gluten free WSP because gluten cross-links making the adhesive irreversible.
Equipments:
- Distilled water
- Wheat starch (10g in 100ml distilled water, 5g in 50ml distilled water)
- Double boiler
- Pyrex graduated glass beaker (500 ml or 600 ml capacity)
- Plastic or metal spoon
- Heat source
- Storage container (glass, plastic, or ceramic, with a non-metallic lid)
For better result, we need to cook it slowly and continue stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 25 minutes in double boiler. The paste will become more translucent when ready. Keep it to cool down. Sift it 3 times before using. Before start using the paste work through the paste by adding moister to remove the lumps (diluted the paste) and made it smoother to apply.
Mix WSP with distilled waterApply the mixer into boilerCook it slowly and continue stirring with a wooden spoonKeep it to cool downSifting the pastediluting the paste with water
There are 2 ways to cook the wheat starch paste, original way and microwave
Applying the paste:
Applying WSP with humidifying the objectApplying WSP with humidified object
WSP in 90gsm wove m/c made
Methyl Cellulose
Is an adhesive with a wide variety of application commonly used for paper size, paper coating or strengthener? The adhesive forms a matte finish when used in dilute solution. We can mix it with cold or hot water, but it mixes faster and easier with hot water. It blends well with wheat starch paste and other adhesives. Its non-staining, will not discolor paper, will not decompose in dry or liquid state and not affected by heat or freezing. Highly flexible bond but weaker adhesive. We can use it direct and easy to apply. We need to slightly wet the brush before applying the paste.
How to prepare 5% MC solution
40ml MC powder add on 200ml hot distilled water, add it little by little and stirring the mix, so it can dissolve faster. Need time to settle but not too long. We can use the same process with cold water but it will take long time for the powder to dissolve.
preparation to mix MCMix MC with hot waterMix MC little by little
Mix MC with cold waterfinal solution
Apply the solution:
MC solutionApplying MC in 9gsm tissue paper
Applying MC in 22gsm laid mould-madeApplying MC in 90gsm
Wove m/c made paper
Remoistenable tissue:
Use 3% MC mixed with a small proportion pf 10% WSP, 50:50 to create thin paste (not very strong repaper) Also, we can use gelatin paste and is in glass to red off the shiniest add drop of ethanol
Shift the mixture of MC and WSP Applying the mixture of paste on tissue paper in melenix
Preparation steps:
- Mix WSP and MC together 50:50 and sift the mixture
- Humidify the tissue paper by spray it with water
- Apply the adhesive on the Melenix, nice and even
- Place the tissue paper in to and spray it slightly with water
Isinglass or Sturgeon Glue
Sturgeon fish
Is the purest form of fish glue, made from the dried membrane of the air bladder of sturgeon blood and rust free.
Buy it from GMW, heat it and use it directly use the adhesive while it’s warm.
FUNORI is made from the seaweed Gloiopeltis, which is harvested from natural populations in Japan.
Preparation:
Cut up 6g funori. Soak in 200ml water overnight.
Cook the mixture over low heat until the seaweed is dissolved.
Do not boil. Strain the solution through a Japanese silk strainer or cotton cloth.
The solution will be light tan in color and feel slimy.
Its relatively weak adhesive
Warm up prior to use.
Another form of FUNORI, came as powder
Use it 1:1 with distilled water. Most uses in consolidation
Conclusion
Paper conservation and paper preservation were one of the ideas brought to the light in an effort of preventing the extinction of historical evidence and ancient art. Therefore, paper and print conservation would have been better if they incorporated the use of current technology in determining the life of a paper artifact. Similarly, paper making in the current world is different from the traditional paper making industry where current methods do not last as compared to the ancient methods. For instance, the ancient paper artifacts are durable when compared to the current papers and prints. The traditional methods used in preserving and conserving the paper artifacts were more or less dependable than the current methods thus; making the modern prints less durable.
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