Name

Patricia Schossler

Title of research project / research interests

Characterization, Degradation and Conservation of Plastics with focus on the emissions of volatiles and semi volatiles organic compounds (VOCs/SVOCs)

Affiliation(s)

Fraunhofer Wilhelm Klauditz Institut  and Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany

Supervisor(s)

Tunga Salthammer and Müfit Bahadir

Estimated date of completion

2011

Previous education and/or work experience

Bachelor in Chemistry (1998 UFRGS-Brazil); MSc. Chemistry of Cultural Heritage (2001 CECOR UFMG-Brazil); Conservation Science consultant in conservation/restoration projects.

Abstract

Polymeric materials are present in museums and private collections and are a probable source of volatile and semi volatile organic compounds (VOCs/SVOCs) in the environment of cultural institutions. The emissions can provide useful informations for the artist, the conservator and to the conservation scientist related to: (1) the industrial process or previous conservation/restoration procedures; (2) degradation of the polymer (deterioration markers or long term emission of SVOCs) and emission of substances with hazardous potential to objects in the vicinity; (3) presence of substances suspected to cause adverse health effects.

In this way, it has become crucial to identify some of these plastics and investigate their emissions. The first aspect of the research project was on analyzing VOCs/SVOCs to point out dominating emissions, reactive compounds and possible degradation products. In further works special attention will be given to the profile emission of VOCs suspected to cause adverse health effects, and to some SVOCs present in plastics and foams. The monitoring of the aging and changes in plastics and foams, due the migration and emission of some compounds, will also be conducted.

Contact

Patricia Schossler

Fraunhofer Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut (WKI)

Material Analysis and Indoor Chemistry (MAIC)

Bienroder Weg 54E

38108 Braunschweig/Germany

Tel. +49 531 2155 204

Fax +49 531 2155 905

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www.wki.fraunhofer.de