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 heritage objects
  • new methods for long-term preservation of cellulose 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
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, DOI:10.1007/s10570-023-05529-6

** PhD defences **

Caroline VIBERT will defend her PhD thesis titled **Durabilité du papier permanent en conditions d’archivage** supervised by Bruno FAYOLLE (PIMM, ENSAM) and  Anne-Laurence DUPONT (CRCC, MNHN) Friday 17 November 2023 at 14h00 at Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle - 36 rue Geoffroy St Hilaire, 75005 Paris. Room : Amphithéâtre Rouelle. A link to the video broadcast will be sent at a later date.

Published on: 20/07/2023 16:42 - Updated on: 20/10/2023 12:39