Abstract
Curling disease in long historical photos significantly affects the presentation of cultural heritage information. However, people lack attention to the formation process and microstructural changes of photo curling. In this article, a long historical photo (1912–1949 AD) collected by the Second Historical Archives of China was taken as the research object, and the formation process and cause of the curling were further explored. Firstly, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray energy disperse spectrometer (EDS), and other instruments were used to analyze the material composition of the long historical photo. It was found that the photographic paper was made of gelatin, barium sulfate, and plant fiber layers. Then, the effects of hygrothermal environments on curling and contraction in the gelatin layer and simulated photographic paper were explored. Meanwhile, the formation process and main influence factors of the curling were preliminarily revealed. The morphological analysis by SEM was carried out to identify the inner correlation between the microstructure and curling of photos. Finally, the possible formation cause of photo curling was analyzed. This study provides a scientific basis and experimental data for the preservation and restoration of long historical photos based on gelatin.
Highlights
Since 1880, gelatin has been extensively used for the preparation of photographic materials thanks, e.g., to good dispersing properties
Photographic gelatin was prepared into an 8% aqueous solution, and the gelatin solution was evenly coated on the barium photographic paper surface with a quantitative coating stick
scanning electron microscope (SEM) images reveal that the historical photo has an obvious layered structure
Summary
Photos are important photosensitive image archives that directly witness and corroborate major historical events, historical figures, and social reforms. Theseofimportant offered fundamental has achieved some in terms scratches,studies mildew,have fading, toughening, and inspiration and laid a important solid foundation the prevention and preservation historical flattening. These studies for have offered fundamental inspiration of and laid a photos. As far as we know, has been no curling is to widespread in longsafety historical photos and poses serious threats tothere the information previous research on the cause analysis curling in long historicalresearch photos, on andthethe safety of cultural relics. This study provides theoretical support for identifying the theoretical forcurling identifying thehistorical formation cause of curling in long historical photos.
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