Objectives and Approach
The main objective of the project is to provide a system of rapid measurement
of damage caused by conditions in the environment surrounding works of art,
and particularly paintings, in museums and historic buildings.
This will be approached in stages, namely:
1) Preparation and exposure of the paint damage dosimeter .
2) Additional testing, using a method of artificial ageing by pollutant gases.
3) Development of a new dosimeter using piezoelectric quartz crystal technology*,
eventually, after calibration in known environments, providing conservators
with a capability to evaluate the cumulative risk of contaminants via a direct
read-out, as opposed to sophisticated chemical analysis.
An array of coated piezoelectric crystals is envisaged which will incorporate
relative humidity correction and protective housings for the crystals against
particles. The response profiles will define the potential for environmental
damage, also on a continuous basis. This would ensure that effects of episodic
events where contaminants are released in an unpredictable way, as possibly
during transport, would be measured.