del Gaudio, I; Hunter-Sellars, E; Parkin, IP; Williams, D; Da Ros, S; Curran, K; (2021) Water sorption and diffusion in cellulose acetate: The effect of plasticisers. Carbohydrate Polymers , 267 , Article 118185. 10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.118185.

Preview

Text CARBPOL-D-21-00359_R2_accepted version.pdf - Accepted Version Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

The conservation of cellulose acetate plastics in museum collections presents a significant challenge, due to the material's instability. Several studies have led to an understanding of the role of relative humidity (RH) and temperature in the decay process. It is well established that the first decay mechanism in cellulose acetate museum objects is the loss of plasticiser, and that the main decay mechanism of the polymer chain involves hydrolysis reactions. This leads to the loss of sidechain groups and the breakdown of the main polymer backbone. However, interactions between these decay mechanisms, specifically the way in which the loss of plasticiser can modify the interaction between cellulose acetate and water, has not yet been investigated. This research addresses the role of RH, studying the sorption and diffusion of water in cellulose acetate and how this interaction can be affected by plasticiser concentration using Dynamic Vapour Sorption (DVS).

Download activity - last month

Export as JSONCSVXML

Download activity - last 12 months

Export as JSONCSVXML

Downloads by country - last 12 months

Export as JSONCSVXML

Archive Staff Only

View Item