Glass degradation
The early detection of glass instability and monitoring the degradation process
The implementation of an analytical method to identify unstable glass at an early stage should make it possible to slow down chemical degradation processes and avoid irreversible damage.
About the project
Degradation processes can cause irreversible changes in the chemical structure of historic glass. This can ultimately lead to physical damage, with the worst-case scenario of ruining the glass as an object fit for a museum. Not every type of glass is susceptible to degradation processes of this kind. The early identification of vulnerable, chemically unstable glass can help to prevent the development of advanced degradation patterns. In this project we will be employing a recently developed method that can identify unstable glass. Ion chromatography will be used to detect chemical components that are characteristic of glass degradation in very low concentrations. We are studying around 100 objects from storage and monitoring the condition of five glasses from the permanent display.
Aim of the project
The primary aim of the project is to identify unstable glass in the Rijksmuseum’s collection and gain an understanding of the active degradation of objects in storage and in the permanent collection. In addition, the research findings will contribute to a fundamental understanding of glass degradation in a museum setting and to the development of guidelines for the optimum preservation conditions for historic glass.
Staff
Guus Verhaar
Researcher
g.verhaar@rijksmuseum.nl
Margot van Schinkel
Senior conservator Ceramics, Glass and Stone
m.van.schinkel@rijksmuseum.nl
Bodill Lamain
Conservator Ceramics, Glass and Stone
b.lamain@rijksmuseum.nl
Isabelle Garachon
Head of Ceramics, Glass and Stone conservation
i.garachon@rijksmuseum.nl
Ditte de Beer
Management and Conservation
d.de.beer@rijksmuseum.nl
Katrien Keune
Head of Science
k.keune@rijksmuseum.nl
Roy van der Wielen
External
Roosmarijn van Beemen
External
Norman Tennant
University of Texas at Dallas
Partners and sponsors
This project is funded by the Rijksmuseum through the Gieskes-Strijbis Fonds, the Corning Museum of Glass and University of Texas at Dallas.
For this project we work together with: the University of Amsterdam, the Corning Museum of Glass, University of Texas at Dallas.
Symposium
A one-day symposium to present and discuss the outcomes of recent research initiatives, with input from invited experts, for an assessment of the advancing field of glass deterioration studies.
2 June
Auditorium Rijksmuseum
Related projects
Publications
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B. Lamain, M.R. Van Bommel, G. Verhaar, and N.H. Tennent ‘The Development of an Ion Chromatography Protocol for Detecting the Early Stages of Glass Degradation’, in Recent Advances in Glass, Stained-Glass, and Ceramics Conservation, Zwolle: Spa Uitgevers edited by H. Roemich and K. Van Lookeren Campagne (7-10 October 2013), pp. 303–11.
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M. van Schinkel, G. Verhaar, R. Van Beemen, and B. Lamain, ‘Documentation of Glass Deterioration’, in Recent Advances in Glass and Ceramics Conservation, poster presentation, Paris: ICOM Committee for Conservation, (2013).
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G. Verhaar, N.H. Tennent, J.T. Van Elteren, V.S. Šelih, and M. Šala, ‘Investigating Ion Depletion in Unstable Historic Glass Samples Using Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry and Ion Chromatography’, in Recent Advances in Glass and Ceramics Conservation, London: ICOM Committee for Conservation edited by J. Mandrus and V. Schussler (2019), pp. 45-54.
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G. Verhaar, M.R. Van Bommel, and N.H. Tennent, ‘Identification and documentation of early stages of glass sickness’, in Glass Deterioration Colloquium, Extended Abstracts, edited by G. Eggert and A. Fischer, Stuttgart: State Academy of Art and Design (20-21 February 2015), pp. 18–21.
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G. Verhaar, M.R. Van Bommel, and N.H. Tennent, ‘Weeping glass: the identification of ionic species on the surface of vessel glass using ion chromatography’, in Recent Advances in Glass and Ceramics Conservation, edited by H. Roemich and L. Fair, Paris: ICOM Committee for Conservation (2016), pp. 123–33.
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G. Verhaar, G., M.R. Van Bommel, and N.H. Tennent ‘The implementation of ion chromatography as a key analytical technique for investigation of unstable glass in museum collections’, in Glass Atmospheric Alteration. Cultural Heritage, Industrial and Nuclear Glasses, edited by I. Biron, F. Alloteau, P. Lehuédé, O. Majérus, and D. Caurant, Paris: Hermann (2019), pp. 162–68.
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G. Verhaar, M.R. van Bommel, and N.H. Tennent, ‘Development and Validation of an Analytical Protocol for the Sampling and Quantitative Analysis of Ions on the Surface of Unstable Historic Glass in Museum Collections Using Ion-Exchange Chromatography’ in Journal of Chromatography A Vol. 1627, Art. 461394 (September 2020).