Morphological and Mechanical Properties of Book Cellulose-Based Paper (XX<sup>th</sup> Century) Treated with Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles
Rodica-Mariana Ion,
Ramona Marina Grigorescu,
Lorena Iancu,
Madalina Elena David,
Adriana Cirstoiu,
Georgiana Iulia Paraschiv,
Maria Geba
Affiliations
Rodica-Mariana Ion
Doctoral School of Materials Engineering Department, Valahia University of Targoviste, 35 Lt. Stancu Ion, 130105 Targoviste, Romania
Ramona Marina Grigorescu
“Evaluation and Conservation of Cultural Heritage” Department, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM Bucharest, 202, Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
Lorena Iancu
“Evaluation and Conservation of Cultural Heritage” Department, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM Bucharest, 202, Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
Madalina Elena David
“Evaluation and Conservation of Cultural Heritage” Department, National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry—ICECHIM Bucharest, 202, Spl. Independentei, 060021 Bucharest, Romania
Adriana Cirstoiu
Materials Engineering and Mechanics Department, Valahia University of Targoviste, 35 Lt. Stancu Ion, 130105 Targoviste, Romania
Georgiana Iulia Paraschiv
Doctoral School of Materials Engineering Department, Valahia University of Targoviste, 35 Lt. Stancu Ion, 130105 Targoviste, Romania
Maria Geba
“Moldova” National Museum Complex Iasi, 1 Piaţa Ştefan cel Mare şi Sfânt, 700028 Iasi, Romania
Paper aging and protection processes play an essential function in the preservation of library collections and archives. In this study, some physical-mechanical properties of paper samples from XXth century books (private collections), such as pH acidity, tensile strength, and modulus of elasticity, as well as optical properties, such as absolute change in yellowness, were examined before and after treating them with hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HAp). Accelerated light aging was also evaluated and discussed. The treatment with HAp nanoparticles increased the paper’s pH to slightly alkaline values (approximately pH 8). Washing and treating the paper improved its mechanical properties compared to untreated paper; the tear length increased by 35% and the modulus of elasticity increased by 56%. That the treated and aged samples are more elastic than the original samples demonstrates that HAp nanoparticles consolidated the cellulose fibers. Additionally, particle morphology, size, composition and size distribution were assessed via image analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the ImageJ processing program.
