Quantitative evaluation of the effect of electrochemical cleaning of silver artifacts

E. Cano*, D. Lafuente, B. Ramirez Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Metalúrgicas (CENIM-CSIC), Avda. Gregorio del Amo 8, 28040 Madrid, Spain.

J. Pérez, Ll. Flores, I. Martínez, I. Traver, L. Ferrazza. Instituto Valenciano de Conservación y Restauración de Bienes Culturales (IVC+R), Calle del Pintor Genaro Lahuerta, 25. 46010 Valencia, Spain.

S. Díaz, E. García. Instituto del Patrimonio Cultural de España (IPCE), Pintor El Greco, 4 (Ciudad Universitaria), 28040 Madrid, Spain.

E. Martín. Museo Oteiza, C/ de la Cuesta 7, 31486 Alzuza, Navarra, Spain.

P. Letardi, Centro Nazionale di Ricerca, Istituto di Scienze Marine (CNR-ISMAR), Via de Marini 6, 16149 Genova, Italy.

*Corresponding autor. E-mail: ecano@cenim.csic.es

 

Electrochemical treatments have been in use for cleaning silver artifact for many years. However, there has not been a systematic study of the effect of these treatments on the surface of the metal and its resistance to re-tarnishing after treatment. Under the CREMEL project (funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness), the effect of different cleaning methods (electrochemical, chemical and mechanical) will be evaluated.

Cleaning treatments will be carried out by professional conservators-restorers, on both metal coupons and real objects, and will be evaluated using surface characterization techniques (atomic force microscopy, AFM; scanning electron microscopy, SEM; and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, XPS) and the corrosion rate and base metal removed by different treatments will be measured gravimetric techniques.

This poster will present work in progress, showing the first results of the project.

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