Damage function for poly(vinyl chloride) in heritage collections

Rijavec, Tjaša (author), Strlič, Matija (author), Kralj Cigić, Irena (author)

Yellowing of plastic objects as a consequence of chemical degradation is a common heritage conservation challenge. In the case of poly(vinyl chloride) elimination of hydrogen chloride leads to the formation of polyene sequences that act as chromophores. The objective of this work was to quantitatively evaluate the rate of degradation observed as yellowing, as relevant to room conditions during long-term storage of heritage collections. Degradation was quantified as increase in the b* colour coordinate during accelerated degradation at 50 and 70 °C as a function of temperature, relative humidity, plasticizer content, and polymer molecular weight. The significance of each variable was investigated with multiple linear regression. Lower temperature, lower relative humidity, higher polymer molecular weight and higher plasticizer content were associated with lower degradation rates. The activation energy of 86 kJ/mol was calculated. The concept of ‘1- °C-equivalent’ is introduced to enable variable prioritisation from a heritage management aspect. The resulting model can be used to shape environmental management guidelines and identify the most vulnerable objects in heritage collections.

• Language: English
• Keywords: damage function, PVC, heritage science, degradation, prediction, additives
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: 9 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 211, art. 110329
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-145890
• UDC: 543:678.743.2:7.025
• ISSN on article: 0141-3910
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2023.110329
• COBISS.SI-ID: 146266371
• Publication date in RUL: 17.05.2023

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Polymer degradation and stability
• Shortened title: Polym. degrad. stab.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0141-3910
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2814212

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: funkcija škode, PVC, dediščinska znanost, degradacija, napoved, aditivi