Acetic Acid Off Gassing in Clamshell Enclosures

Abstract

Rare book conservators construct specialized, custom-fit, cloth-covered containers for special collections material. These “clamshell boxes”, are typically constructed with binders board and covered with a linen or cotton cloth using polyvinyl acetate (PVA) adhesive. This adhesive off gasses acetic acid as it cures. Acetic acid is known to cause deterioration of paper and leather, common materials placed in these boxes. To reduce the effect of the gas and to decrease the concentration of the chemical, most conservators are trained to air out newly made boxes. While conservators possess substantial “folk wisdom” and anecdotal evidence on the value of airing clamshell boxes, to date there are no published studies on the necessity of this step. This presentation will investigate the use of acid detection strips (A-D strips) to study acetic acid off gassing occurring in custom-made, cloth covered book boxes constructed and used by conservators in research libraries.