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Acetic Acid Off Gassing in Clamshell Enclosures
Brewer, Allison
Brewer, Allison
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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.
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Date
2013
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Keywords
Acetic Acid, Off Gassing, Clamshell Box, Rare Books, Acid Detection Strips, Image Permanence Institute, PVA, Poly Vinyl Acetate
Citation
Brewer, Allison.2013. Acetic Acid Off Gassing in Clamshell Enclosures. Poster Presentation at the 2013 American Institute for Conservation Annual Meeting, Indianapolis.