How long does paper last? Can its lifetime be extended?

The durability and longevity of cellulose-based artefacts, ancient and modern, are the heart of the issues of preservation, conservation and restoration of graphic and written heritage. Our research focuses on these themes, by studying the chemical and mechanical degradation processes of cellulose-based heritage materials interacting with the environment, and by developing preventive and remedial conservation strategies.

Our research is dedicated to

 

  • the study of paper degradation and its modeling, at the scale of the biopolymers, fibers and sheets

  • the impact of museum/archives climate on cellulose-based heritage objects and new depollution solutions for gaseous pollutants

  • new methods for long-term preservation of cellulose-based heritage objects using green technologies

  • microanalytical methods providing precise information on the degradation processes and damage assessment

papier - test papier

Test papers inserted into an 18th-century archival bundle in a wooden box (French National Archives) to assess the impact of VOCs on paper. 2014.

Credits
A-L Dupont

 

papier_ALD2_2021_a.jpg

Tubes de vieillissement avec papiers tests et cartons de conservation pour l’étude
de la contamination croisée des matériaux de conservation sur le papier

Credits
A-L Dupont

 

Papier_ALD_w1_8licl_5h_x20_small.jpg

fibres de coton en cours de dissolution dans le solvant chromatographique : début de destructuration de la fibre en faisceaux de microfibrilles

Credits
A-L Dupont
feuille cellulose/MOF pour la dépollution

Feuille cellulose/MOF pour la dépollution gazeuse de l’air

****NEW****

We are excited to officially announce the launch of the SIMIACCI project (Sustainable Intelligent Management of Indoor Air Quality for the Culture and Creative Industries), starting on January 1st, 2025, and running until 2028.

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This ambitious initiative, funded under the Horizon Europe program, aims to improve efficiency in indoor air quality control in Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAMs) across Europe, enhancing the conservation of cultural heritage artifacts while reducing energy consumption.

 

SIMIACCI project partners at KoM in Lisbon (January 2025)

Check out the latest news:  LinkedIn 1, LinkedIn 2

Recent publications

(2019) Tétreault, J., Bégin, P., Paris-Lacombe, S., Dupont, A.-L. Modelling considerations for the degradation of cellulosic paper. Cellulose 26, 3, 2013–2033. DOI: 10.1007/s10570-018-2156-x

(2020) Ferrandin-Schoffel, N., Haouas, M., Martineau-Corcos, C., Fichet, O., Dupont, A.-L. Modeling the reactivity of aged paper with aminoalkylalkoxysilanes as strengthening and deacidification agents. ACS Applied Polymer Materials 2, 1943−1953. DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.0c00132

(2020) Gimat, A., Schoeder, S., Thoury, M., Missori, M., Paris-Lacombe, S., Dupont, A.-L. Short- and Long-Term Effects of X‑ray Synchrotron Radiation on Cotton Paper. Biomacromolecules, 21, 2795−2807. DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c00512

(2021) Ferrandin-Schoffel, N., Martineau-Corcos, C., Piovesan, C., Paris-Lacombe, S., Fichet, O., Dupont, A.-L.  Long-term stability of lignocellulosic papers strengthened and deacidified with aminoalkylalkoxysilanes. Polymer Degradation and Stability, 183, 109413. DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2020.109413

(2022) Gimat, A., Schoeder, S., Thoury, M., Dupont, A.-L. Degradation of historical paper induced by synchrotron X-ray technical examination. Cellulose 29, 4347–4364. DOI:10.1007/s10570-022-04552-3

(2023) Ferrandin-Schoffel, N., Dupont, A.-L., Martineau-Corcos, C., Fichet, O. Routes to improve the strengthening of paper with aminoalkylalkoxysilanes. Cellulose 30, 539–556. DOI:10.1007/s10570-022-04906-x

(2023) Desbrière, A., Dupont, A.-L., Bajon-Bouzid, T., Drieu la Rochelle, I. Mineral Clays for Cleaning Tidelines on Paper-Based Artworks. Restaurator. International Journal for the Preservation of Library and Archival Material. DOI:10.1515/res-2022-0025

(2023) Maraghechi, S., Dupont, A.-L., Cardinaels, R., Paris Lacombe, S., , Hoefnagels, J.P.M., Suiker, A.S.J., Bosco, E. Assessing rheometry for measuring the viscosity-average degree of polymerisation of cellulose in paper degradation studies. Heritage Science 11:15, 1-9. DOI:10.1186/s40494-022-00855-7

(2023) Vibert, C., Fayolle, B., Ricard, D., Dupont, A.-L. Decoupling hydrolysis and oxidation of cellulose in permanent paper under atmospheric conditions. Carbohydrate Polymers 310, 120727. DOI:10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.12072

(2023) Tétreault, J., Vedoy, D., Bégin, P., Paris-Lacombe, S., Dupont, A.-L. Modelling the degradation of acidic and alkaline printing paper. Cellulose 30, 11157–11175. DOI:10.1007/s10570-023-05529-6

(2023) Al Mohtar, A., Severino, M. I., Tignol, P., Ranza, L., Neves A., Nouar, F., Pimenta, V., Lopes, J., Ramos, A.M., Lahoz Rodrigo, J. I., Melo, M. J., Wallaszkovits, N., Pinto, M. L.., Dupont, A,-L., Serre, C., Lavédrine, B. Iron(III) based Metal-Organic Frameworks in movie film preservation: Fundamental aspects and application. Journal of Cultural Heritage 66, 236-243 DOI:10.1016/j.culher.2023.11.013

(2024) Vibert, C., Dupont, A.-L., Dirrenberger, J., Passas, R., Ricard, D., Fayolle, B. Relationship between chemical and mechanical degradation of aged paper: fibre versus fibre-fibre bonds. Cellulose 31, 1855–1873. DOI:10.1007/s10570-023-05683-x

(2024) Tignol, P., Pimenta, V., Dupont, A.-L., Carvalho, S., Pinto, M., Serre C., Lavédrine, B. Novel MOF paper composites for the removal of Volatile Organic Compounds from the environment of cultural heritage artefacts. Journal of Cultural Heritage 71, 265-73. DOI:10.1016/j.culher.2024.12.004

(2024) Lavédrine, B., Dupont, A. -L., Tignol, P., Pimenta, V., Pinto, M. L., Al Mohtar, A.  Sustainable Preservation of Photographs in a Hot and Humid Climate: Dry Cabinets and Metal Organic Framework Paper Composites. Studies in Conservation 69, sup1, 190-197. DOI:10.1080/00393630.2024.2364997

The team

Anne-Laurence DupontSabrina Paris LacombeAlice Gimat, Chérif Adouama, Cédric Viravaux, Théo Filiol

** PhD defences **

More coming soon

Published on: 20/07/2023 16:42 - Updated on: 14/02/2025 17:22