If the acids of concern are volatile, such as acetic acid, will a loose
layer of aluminum foil prevent the volatile acids from filling the air
space in the drawer? I do not think so. The aluminum foil will prevent
migration of non-volatile acids and other non-volatile contaminants
(buffering agents?) at the points of direct contact between object (or
packaging material) and the acidic surface. Volatile acids are prevented
from reaching the object by wrapping the object in something through which
the volatile contaminants cannot pass, such as a sealed impermeable
membrane, or in something that reacts with the contaminants before they
reach the objects, such as silver cloth in the case of hydrogen sulfide and
silver. The original sheet probably acted as a sacrificial reactive
wrapping by absorbing or reacting with contaminants before they reached the
object. Periodic washing of the wrapping, as suggested by Kim Kotary, is a
good idea, because this removes the adsorbed materials and reaction
products.
Scott
R. Scott Williams
Senior Conservation Scientist (Chemist)
Conservation Research Division
Canadian Conservation Institute
1030 Innes Road
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0M5
tel: (613) 998-3721
fax: (613) 998-4721
email: [log in to unmask]
Visit the CCI Web sites at www.cci-icc.gc.ca and www.preservation.gc.ca
Kathleen Kiefer
<KKiefer@IMAMUSEU
M.ORG> To
Sent by: Textile [log in to unmask]
Conservators cc
<TEXCONS@SI-LISTS
ERV.SI.EDU> Subject
Re: Storage in non acid-free boxes
2010-04-01 12:15
PM
Please respond to
Textile
Conservators
<TEXCONS@SI-LISTS
ERV.SI.EDU>
Also, the addition of a layer of household aluminum foil (or Marvelseal
http://www.gaylord.com/adblock.asp?abid=1318 ) beneath the Tyvek, acid-free
paper, Mylar, whatever, will function as a true barrier to acid migration.
Nice collection of useful information on your website Camille. K
Kathleen Kiefer
Senior Conservator of Textiles
Indianapolis Museum of Art
4000 Michigan Road
Indianapolis, IN 46208-3326
T 317-923-1331 x155 F 317-926-8931
[log in to unmask]
http://www.imamuseum.org
From: Textile Conservators [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Camille Breeze
Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 9:53 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Storage in non acid-free boxes
All great ideas from our colleagues. I would just add that there is a
template for a Tyvek drawer liner on my website at
http://museumtextiles.com/site/resources.htm.
Camille
On Wed, Mar 31, 2010 at 10:28 PM, [log in to unmask]
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Dear Tex-Con Members,
I have been following your discussions and learning from them for several
years now, since I was a graduate student in Lincoln, Nebraska. Now I am a
curator in a small historical society, and have a question of my own
regarding storage boxes.
You are all aware that acid-free boxes are very expensive. Though I am
working on some grant possibilities, in the meantime I need some less
costly methods of storage. I would like to know what you think of storing
textiles in standard cardboard boxes that have been lined with a barrier
such as a medium weight acid-free paper (heavier than tissue) or Tyvek. Or
perhaps there is another liner option that would be even better? The object
I am presently trying to find better storage for is a silk cigar ribbon
pillow that does not fit in a standard size acid-free, unbuffered box: I
would have to have one custom made. Even more expensive!
I found this artifact wrapped in an old sheet and stuffed into a box that
had been the packaging for an electric blanket and which was too small for
it. How much of an improvement is a new cardboard box, with plenty of space
and lined with Tyvek? Will it provide a safe storage environment for as
long as the barrier has its integrity?
Thank you for your advice,
Peggy Derrick, Curator
La Crosse County Historical Society
La Crosse, Wisconsin
--
Camille Myers Breeze, Director
Museum Textile Services
Andover, Massachusetts
www.museumtextiles.com
978-474-9200
imamuseum.org made the following
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