Paper and Cellulose

Manuscrit endommagé par le feu
Manuscrit endommagé par le feu
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.
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.
Tubes de vieillissement avec papiers tests et cartons de conservation pour l’étude
de la contamination croisée des matériaux de conservation sur le papier
fibres de coton en cours de dissolution dans le solvant chromatographique : début de destructuration de la fibre en faisceaux de microfibrilles
Feuille cellulose/MOF pour la dépollution gazeuse de l’air
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)
(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
Anne-Laurence Dupont, Sabrina Paris Lacombe, Alice Gimat, Chérif Adouama, Cédric Viravaux, Théo Filiol
More coming soon