Improvements in Size-Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) instrumentation and experimental procedures have markedly improved the current state of molecular characterization of cellulose by SEC. This work begins to draw connections between the size distributions of cellulose molecules to the known properties of variously treated and aged paper materials. More effectively linking micro analytical determinants to current destructive mechanical testing is critical for assessing use and condition of paper-based cultural heritage collections. For this end, particular emphasis has been on micro-sampling of objects, &lt;500µg, with the goal of correlating molecular weights with macro-scale material properties traditionally determined by destructive testing.<br/><br/>Recent work from the Preservation Research & Testing labs at the Library of Congress has used a selection of variously inked and treated papers as well as the historic Barrow Books Collection as well as to investigate how SEC can be used to complement existing conservation data and analyses. The degradation effects of aging, inking, and UV/light dosage on paper can be quantified by SEC, presenting opportunities to further minimally-destructive analytical techniques for paper materials. For example, SEC quantifiably identifies the consequence of alkali treatments on preserving cellulose polymer chain lengths, which strongly correlates to eventual paper embrittlement measured by tensile or fold testing.

Micro-Sampling size exclusion chromatography at the Library of Congress for the analysis of paper aging and degradation

254th National Meeting (2017)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.