Several FTIR techniques are surface-sensitive. This sensitivity can be utilized to help with a
wide range conservation issues. Examples from object degradation studies, conservation …

Cultural heritage objects present a special set of challenges to analyze chemically. Often
micro-sampling or even contacting the object is not appropriate or deemed too risky for …

Fibre-optic reflectance spectroscopy is widely used as a tool for the analysis of coloured
materials such as pigments and paints. We describe a new design for a FORS probe which …

Research in art conservation has been developed from the early 1950s, giving a significant
contribution to the conservation-restoration of cultural heritage artefacts. In fact, only through …

Identifying the most vulnerable plastics and monitoring their deterioration is one of the main
problems within heritage collections with historical synthetic polymers. Gathering and …

This paper outlines techniques developed at the Conservation Analytical Laboratory.
Smithsonian Institution, for the preparation of thick cross sections (50 microns and up) and …

Standard analytical equipment found in modem laboratories can answer most questions
asked about samples. New equipment designs or new approaches are sometimes needed …

Abstract Paintings and painted objects are quite susceptible to degradation, as paint layers
are usually composed of complex mixtures of materials that can participate in chemical …