Study on the restoration of glass slides dating back to the 1940s

Yuyao Ruan; Yanli Li; Fei Yang; Yanru Chen; Panpan Liu; Mantang Ge; Kezhu Han; Yuhu Li

doi:10.1186/s40494-024-01454-4

Heritage Science (Sep 2024)

Study on the restoration of glass slides dating back to the 1940s

Yuyao Ruan,
Yanli Li,
Fei Yang,
Yanru Chen,
Panpan Liu,
Mantang Ge,
Kezhu Han,
Yuhu Li

Affiliations

Yuyao Ruan: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Historical Cultural Heritage Conservation, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University
Yanli Li: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Historical Cultural Heritage Conservation, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University
Fei Yang: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Historical Cultural Heritage Conservation, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University
Yanru Chen: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Historical Cultural Heritage Conservation, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University
Panpan Liu: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Historical Cultural Heritage Conservation, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University
Mantang Ge: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Historical Cultural Heritage Conservation, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University
Kezhu Han: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Historical Cultural Heritage Conservation, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University
Yuhu Li: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Historical Cultural Heritage Conservation, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-024-01454-4
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 13

Abstract

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Abstract The Museum of Sun Yat-sen University houses a collection of antique glass slides dating back to the 1940s. These historical artifacts not only serve as a record of the past but also bring history to life. During extended storage, the emulsion layer on glass slides may harden and become brittle, leading to cracking and buckling. This study suggests a method to enhance the physical property of the emulsion layer by using a combination of nonionic surfactant isomeric alcohol ethoxylates eight (TO-8) and waterborne epoxy resin (WER). We investigated the microscopic action mechanism of the two on the emulsion layer of glass slides using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), water contact angles, and other techniques. Our study revealed that TO-8 can significantly eliminate the spherulitic crystal structure of the emulsion layer, as well as improve its softness and hydrophilicity. The addition of the WER ensures that the cracking and warping of the emulsion layer film is fully corrected, resulting in a flat surface. Additionally, the size of the emulsion layer film remains stable even after wetting. The WER has minimal impact on the image information of glass slides. The emulsion layer of the glass slides, restored using the softening protection solutions developed in this study, showed almost full recovery of image information. This research holds significant theoretical and practical value for repairing cracked and warped emulsion layers on glass slides.

Published in Heritage Science

ISSN: 2050-7445 (Online)
Publisher: SpringerOpen
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Fine Arts; Science: Chemistry: Analytical chemistry
Website: http://www.heritagesciencejournal.com/

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