Basic research on the deterioration of Restoration materials and its effect on cultural property

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22300312
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Cultural property science
• Research Institution: Independent Administrative Institution National Institutes for Cultural Heritage Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties
• Principal Investigator: HAYAKAWA Noriko 独立行政法人国立文化財機構東京文化財研究所, 保存修復科学センター, 主任研究員 (20311160)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KAWANOBE Wataru 独立行政法人国立文化財機構東京文化財研究所, 文化遺産国際センター, センター長 (00169749) ; HONDA Takayuki 独立行政法人国立文化財機構東京文化財研究所, 保存修復科学センター, 客員研究員 (40409462)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): FUJIMATSU Hitosi 信州大学, 繊維学部, 教授 (80021179)
• Project Period (FY): 2010-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 文化財修復材料 / 劣化 / 合成樹脂 / 酵素 / ポリビニルアルコール

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Several synthetic restoration materials used in past restoration treatments were difficult to remove from the restored objects in these days. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is one such restoration material used as a consolidant in the 1950’s to the 1970’s; it is water soluble and transparent, and has strong adhesiveness. Removing PVA from paintings or polychromy is difficult because it tends to become water insoluble and opaque, and can cause detachment of the pigments because of its strong stickness.
In this research, the mechanism of deterioration of PVA was clarified using accelerated UV testing, SEM, NMR, and GPC analyses. Further, it was demonstrated that PVA applied to objects could be removed using a PVA degradation enzyme.

Free Research Field

保存科学