MUON

About the project

This project examines how wood and animal glues react and change under the effect of aging and climatic changes. In the long term, climatic fluctuations have resulted in damage to oak panels, often leading to the failure of glued joins. No satisfactory explanation has yet been found for this phenomenon. The properties of oak are being modelled with computers at the microscopic level and at the level of the visible object. The behaviour of animal glues is determined chiefly through physical and chemical analysis and aging experiments.

Aim of the project

The research project aims to bridge the gap between object-related observations obtained through studies in museum settings and the mechanical study of the aging and degradation of wooden panels. The aim is to arrive at a more precise assessment of the period within which climatic damage occurs in wooden panels and the circumstances that contribute to that damage. This is of great importance for establishing effective and sustainable climate specifications for museums. It will reduce the degradation of historic artworks to a minimum, while implementing specifications that substantially decrease energy consumption.

Partners and sponsors

• Technische Universiteit Delft
• Technische Universiteit Eindhoven
• Rijksdienst voor Cultureel Erfgoed

MUON is a project funded by NWO from a budget earmarked for NICAS (Netherlands Institute for Conservation+Art+Science+).

Related projects

• Climate4Wood

• Wood for Goods