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http://www.jstor.org Maney Publishing The Case against Using Soluble Nylon in Conservation Work Author(s): Catherine Sease Source: Studies in Conservation, Vol. 26, No. 3 (Aug., 1981), pp. 102-110 Published by: on behalf of the Maney Publishing International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1505851 Accessed: 18-08-2014 08:40 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. This content downloaded from 84.205.227.38 on Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:40:52 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions Studies in Conservation, 26 (1981), 102-110 THE CASE AGAINST USING SOLUBLE NYLON IN CONSERVATION WORK CATHERINE SEASE Abstract-Many conservators have had problems with objects treated with soluble nylon. The chemistry of modified polyamides and, specifically, soluble nylon is reviewed, as well as the reactions they undergo. The behavior of soluble nylon in conservation is then discussed on the basis of practical experience gained from working with objects treated with soluble nylon. 1. INTRODUCTION Soluble nylon is N-methoxymethyl nylon, a chemically modified form of nylon that is produced by treating nylon with formaldehyde [1-3]. It was first mentioned in the con- servation literature in 1958 [4] when it was recommended as a consolidant for objects with powdery surfaces that required soaking to remove soluble salts. Since then, it has become widely used for a great variety of conservation problems. Today, if one looks through the conservation literature, one will find that soluble nylon has been used on paper [5, p. 121; 6], textiles [7-9], stone [5, pp. 336-337; 10], pottery [11], wall paintings [12-14], wood [15], bone and ivory [16; 5, p. 155], ethnographic objects [17-19] and metals [20, 21]. Soluble nylon is recommended and widely used because it is felt the protective film formed has the following desirable properties: 1 it is flexible; 2 it does not exert any undue con- tractile forces; 3 it dries to a matt surface; 4 it possesses good adhesive properties; and 5 it has a large molecular structure which allows for the easy passage of water and salts through the film [4]. This paper will first discuss the chemical structure and properties of these modified nylons and then look specifically at how soluble nylon behaves in conservation work. Little has been said in the literature about how well it stands up to the claims made for it and how well it maintains these properties over time. These claims will be discussed on the basis of practical experience gained from working with objects treated with soluble nylon. 2. MODIFIED POLYAMIDES Polyamides are linear polymers resulting from a condensation reaction of amino acids, lactams or dicarboxylic acids with diamines [22]. With this process, depending on the constituent monomers used, a wide variety of homopolymers and copolymers can be made exhibiting a wide range of physical properties. The polyamides formed from linear, un- substituted aliphatic monomers are known as nylons [22]. Unmodified nylons are highly crystalline materials that are characterized by outstanding toughness, excellent resistance to abrasion, good thermal stability, low gas permeability and high water vapor transmission rates [23]. They are hard and inflexible, have a high melting point and are insoluble in all but strong mineral and organic acids. Most of these properties can be explained by the structural features of polyamides. The majority of these polymers are made up of fully extended chains linked together by hydrogen bonds (Fig. 1) to form sheets that can be packed closely together into a crystal unit [24]. These chains pack together so that the oxygen atoms of one molecule are opposite the -NH groups of an opposite molecule providing abundant opportunity for the formation of hydrogen bonds between adjacent chains. This results in very high interchain forces [2]. It was subsequently found that by chemically modifying these nylons a wide variety of polymers could be produced with vastly different properties from the parent nylons. This 102 This content downloaded from 84.205.227.38 on Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:40:52 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The case against using soluble nylon in conservation work H I /CH2\ N\ C CH2 !1 O H \CH/ \C/CH2 II FIG. 1 Hydrogen bonding in nylons through the amide 0 hydrogen [25]. can be achieved by substituting a methyl group on the carbon chain [26] or by reacting the polyamide with compounds capable of substituting the amide hydrogen of the polyamide with another group [22]. The commonest modified nylons are N-alkoxymethyl derivatives [22]. These are produced when nylons are reacted with formaldehyde and an alcohol or mercaptan in the presence of an acid to substitute alkoxymethyl groups on the nitrogen atom [2, 3]: I I N-H H? N-CH,OR I + CH20 + ROH - I 2 + HO C=O C=O I I 'Calaton'* soluble nylon (N-methoxymethyl nylon), which is widely used in conservation work, is just such an N-alkoxymethyi derivative which is made by the above process from nylon 6,6t [27]. Depending upon the degree of substitution, there is a gradual change in the properties of the parent nylon [1, 3]. While the original nylon is hard, insoluble, inflexible and crystalline, modification results in an increase in solubility, flexibility and elasticity, a lowering of the melting point and reduction or elimination of crystallinity [3]. Table 1 illustrates this change of properties from nylon 6,6 for two N-alkoxymethyl derivatives with different degrees of substitution. TABLE 1 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOME POLYAMIDES [2] N-methoxymethyl 6,6 Nylon 6,6 35 % amide 50 % amide subst. subst. Maximum concentration in hot 80 % ethanol None About 40 % 60 % Melting point, ?C 264 150-160 100-110 Modulus of stiffness in 1000 lb/in2 290 14.2 3.0 Recovery from 100% stretch, % 30-35 70-80 90-95 Tensile strength, lb/in2 8000-10,000 4500-6000 2000-3000 *Made by I.C.I. Ltd only in the UK. tThe numbers refer to the number of carbon atoms present in the two monomers. The first refers to those in the amine, the second to those in the acid. Thus, in nylon 6,6 there are 6 carbon atoms in the amine (hexamethylene diamine) and 6 in the acid (adipic acid). Studies in Conservation, 26 (1981), 102-110 103 This content downloaded from 84.205.227.38 on Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:40:52 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions While the parent nylon is soluble only in mineral acids, strong organic acids, phenols and solutions of calcium chloride in methanol [2], N-alkoxymethyl nylons are soluble in all of the above solvents plus the lower aliphatic alcohols and mixtures of these alcohols with water and chloroform [2, 22, 26]. Methanol and ethanol containing 15-30% water are excellent solvents for these modified nylons and are, in fact, better solvents than the alcohols alone [2]. The degree of substitution directly affects the degree of solubility; as the amount of substi- tution increases so does the solubility of the nylon in alcohol. Solutions of modified nylons in most solvents sometimes show clouding and gelation on prolonged storage at room temperature. An increase in the substitution increases the stability of the solution toward gelation, with a sharp increase in stability in aqueous alcohol around 30-35 % substitution [2]. Although N-alkoxymethyl nylons show an increase in solubility in alcohols over the parent nylon, they remain insoluble in hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons, esters and ketones [2]. As the amount of substitution increases, so does the flexibility and elasticity of the modified nylon. At 50% substitution, polymers approaching synthetic elastomers and rubbers are produced [2]. Perhaps the most interesting change in physical properties is the recovery from stretching which increases drastically with substitution (see Table 1). The parent nylon 6,6 will undergo deformation when stretched which is not reversed when the stress is released unless the stretched nylon is subjected to very high temperatures. For an N-alkoxymethyl nylon with 40-45 % substitution there is a pronounced tendency to recover from stretching at room temperature. It is possible to achieve rapid recoveries of 90-95 % from stretchings of up to 500 % of the original length [2]. The melting point of the modified nylons decreases as the amount of substitution increases, as shown in Table 1. When substitution is carried far enough, polymers are produced which are of a syrupy consistency setting to a glass at room temperature [28]. All of these changes in the physical properties of modified nylons are a direct result of the replacement of the amide hydrogen by the -CH2OR, or alkoxymethyl, group. This substitution affects the interchain forces in two ways. First of all, the removal of the amide hydrogen reduces the number of hydrogen atoms available for forming hydrogen bonds between adjacent chains. As mentioned above, it is these interchain forces that are responsible for the physical properties of the parent nylon and the removal of the hydrogen bonding renders the polymer amorphous, rubbery and elastic. Secondly, the introduction of the larger, bulky alkyl groups makes close packing of the chains into a crystal unit more difficult [2, 25]. This has the effect of separating the polymer molecules, thereby preventing interchain hydrogen bonding [26]. 2.1. Reactions of Modified Polyamides In conservation work on stone, it has been found that soluble nylon becomes insoluble with time and this has been attributed to cross-linking [1]. These modified nylons will, in fact, cross-link, but only in the presence of an acid at elevated temperatures [3, 25, 28, 29] when a methylene or polyoxymethylene cross-linkage is formed, as shown in the following equation, rendering the polymer insoluble and non-thermoplastic [3]: I I I I N-CH2OOCH3 NH HH N-CH2-N + I i I I + CH3OH [29] C= O C=O C=O C=O I I I I This can be brought about by heating the modified nylon with 2 % citric acid for 20 minutes Studies in Conservation, 26 (1981), 102-110 104 Catherine Sease This content downloaded from 84.205.227.38 on Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:40:52 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The case against using soluble nylon in conservation work at 120?C [28]. It is this reaction that makes the modified nylons most useful and attractive to industry because, after being applied as a coating, they can then be transformed into a hard, insoluble film. The action of aqueous acids on N-alkoxymethyl nylons also causes hydrolysis of the sub- stituent groups to occur, which results in the regeneration of an unsubstituted amide group [29]. This reaction is, in fact, the reversal of the process used in the formation of these modified nylons. The result, in essence, is a return to the parent nylon with all the properties of such a polymer, including insolubility. Experimental results show that acid hydrolysis occurs quite rapidly and that strong acids are not required [29]. Hence it is most probable that the insolubility of soluble nylon can be explained as a result of both of the above reactions. Since there is not 100% substitution of the parent nylon, there will be some amide groups remaining that have not been affected by substitution. It is possible that these groups under acidic conditions over a long period of time might form cross-linkages as shown in the formula above. It may be that over a long period of time the elevated temperatures used in experimental and industrial work are not needed for such reactions to take place. As well as having unmodified amide groups present, it is also probable that the substitution reaction in some cases does not go all the way to form methoxymethyl groups. This partial reaction would result in the formation of hydroxymethyl groups on the chains. These groups are much more unstable than the methoxymethyl groups and would revert easily to the unmodified amide group, thus providing more amide groups for possible cross-linking. Under the conditions of conservation use, it is difficult to pinpoint the causes for this insolubility. The change to insolubility is probably a result of both cross-linking and acid hydrolysis of the nylon film. On treated objects that have been soaked for soluble salts, it is easy to see how these reactions could take place, especially acid hydrolysis. Distilled water goes acidic very quickly as it picks up carbon dioxide from the air, having a pH of 6 on average. DeWitte did some experiments and found that even demineralized water with a pH of 6-1 rendered a soluble nylon film insoluble after three months immersion [1]. For other objects, the cause of the acid hydrolysis and cross-linking is more difficult to explain, but surely there are enough pollutants in the air today to mix with moisture and condensation to form acids for such reactions to take place. As pointed out above, strong acids are not needed for hydrolysis to take place. It is undoubtedly a much more complicated process than this, but, whatever its cause, hydrolysis and cross-linking do occur, rendering the soluble nylon film insoluble. 3. SOLUBLE NYLON IN CONSERVATION WORK There are various grades and trade names of soluble nylon available commeIcially, but there is only one main one encountered in conservation work. Calaton, manufactured by I.C.I. Ltd, is available in two grades, CA and CB, the latter being the grade used predominantly throughout conservation. Originally the trade name for Calaton CB was Maranyl Soluble Nylon C109/P [5, p. 375]. Other trade names encountered are Zytel (DuPont) and Ultramid (BASF) and, although they have both been used in conservation work, it should be noted that they are chemically different from Calaton and should not be used as alternatives. They are copolymers made from three different monomers and as such have different properties [5, p. 375; 30]. These various soluble nylons are white powders which are easily dissolved in ethanol, methanol or a mixture of alcohol and water or chloroform [2, 5, 28]. Once in solution, the nylon will form a gel on cooling to room temperature, but will readily reliquify on warming to approximately 40?C [4]. Soluble nylon can be applied by all conventional coating Studies in Conservation 26 (1981), 102-110 105 This content downloaded from 84.205.227.38 on Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:40:52 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions techniques: by brushing or spraying, or by immersing the object in the warmed solution. It is generally used in a 1-5 % solution. Soluble nylon was advocated for conservation use because it had the following desirable properties: 1 flexibility; 2 a clear matt appearance; 3 it exerts no undue contractile forces; 4 good adhesive properties; 5 permeability to water vapor. Experience with a large number of objects made of widely differing materials that were treated with soluble nylon as long ago as the late 1950s and early 1960s has shown that, without exception, all of them exhibi ted the same problems: 1 the film had attracted dirt and dust, badly discoloring the objects and obscuring painted decoration; 2 the film was not matt; 3 the film had exerted strong con- tractile forces, peeling off the surface of the object with it; 4 the film was no longer flexible; and 5 the film was insoluble. Of the desirable properties originally claimed for it, per- meability to water is the only one that seems to be maintained over time. Although the soluble nylon film is not tacky, it is not a hard film and there is ample evidence from experience that it strongly attracts dirt, dust and grime, even under ideal storage and display conditions. This dirt is not readily removed and indeed sometimes proves impossible to remove. As an example, Figure 2a shows a limestone ostrakon that was coated with soluble nylon in the mid-1960s to keep the powdery paint from coming off. Calaton CB was brushed on to the surface of the stone. Although the stone was full of soluble salts, the ostrakon was not soaked. Twelve years later, the entire surface of the stone was almost black with dirt, dust and grime that had been attracted to and incorporated into the outer layer of the soluble nylon film in spite of the fact that the stone had been kept in an enclosed drawer. This discoloration almost completely obliterated the painted figure on the stone. Figure 2b shows the same ostrakon after the soluble nylon had been removed. Because the film had become insoluble, the soluble nylon had to be removed mechanically with a scalpel. The stone was then soaked in baths of distilled water for the removal of soluble salts. The original light color of the stone has been recovered and the drawing of the figure is once again visible. FIG. 2a Ostrakon (U.C. 33212) before cleaning. FIG. 2b Ostrakon (U.C. 33212) after cleaning. Experiments have also shown that thin coatings of fresh Calaton CB applied to glass microscope slides have gone very cloudy after being exposed to normal daylight for two months. As well as being dirty, most of the objects coated with soluble nylon did not have a matt surface. To a certain extent, whether or not the surface film is matt is a function of the porosity of the material to which it is applied. If the object is of a porous nature, the soluble nylon is able to soak in more, thus rendering the surface slightly more matt than on a less porous surface. It is true that soluble nylon will dry to a matt surface if applied very Studies in Conservation, 26 (1981), 102-110 106 Catherine Sease This content downloaded from 84.205.227.38 on Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:40:52 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The case against using soluble nylon in conservation work sparingly. Generally, though, this is not the case and the treated objects have a thick coating giving them a wet appearance. On ethnographic materials, the author has not noticed that a soluble nylon coating has exerted any undue contractile forces, but has found it to do so on limestone ostraka. Figure 3 shows an ostrakon which has been treated with soluble nylon. The film has shrunk, broken in areas and peeled back taking a thin layer of the stone surface and some of the paint with it. The heads of the two bulls and the legs of the right bull have been badly damaged as a result, as well as the surface of the stone underneath the right bull and to the left of the human figure. 1*~~~t4~~~nylon. The light a reias are . .?"?::P . ...i '' l s A. . where the soluble nylon film has pulled off a layer of the surface of the stone and paint on the bull on the right. .... .. . .. , . '- . '-:.:~ ..: E . . . :~... .... ,.-FIG. 4 Ostrakon (U.C. , ??r~~~' ;9' # .*:~~ a. 33204) treated with soluble ?-:~~~~~'~~~ ~nylon, showing how salt efflorescence has caused the nylon film to blister and break, removing the surface A."9"ua " "iof the stone and paint with it. l ,~d' ... .._ on:.~The left shoulder and right thigh of the figure are badly affected. Another interesting example is shown in Figure 4. This ostrakon was heavily coated with soluble nylon to consolidate the paint and badly flaking surface caused by soluble salts. These salts were allowed to remain in the stone and, as a result of poor storage, salt efflorescence continued to occur. All over the surface the soluble nylon film blistered where salt crystals had forced the film up and in many places the crystals had actually broken through the film. Wherever it had been pierced, the film had peeled away, pulling some of the stone surface and paint along with it. Studies in Conservation, 26 (1981), 102-110 107 This content downloaded from 84.205.227.38 on Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:40:52 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions These observations are corroborated by work done by DeWitte [1]. On systematic testing of Calaton CA, he found that it did indeed exert strong contractile forces causing the severe deformation of a wooden framework. Coupled with this is the fact that soluble nylon only results in a surface consolidation and it is very difficult to achieve a deep penetration, probably because on coming in contact with the surface of the object the solution of soluble nylon cools to such an extent that it is close to gelling. However, even when the object is heated slightly before applying the soluble nylon, a deep penetration is not achieved. With many of the objects worked on, no matter how old the soluble nylon film, it had still retained its flexibility and elasticity. This was not the case, however, with the limestone ostraka if they were subjected to soaking for the removal of soluble salts. On stones that were sound, it was tried originally to remove the soluble salts by soaking the stone before attempting to remove the soluble nylon and clean up the surface. It quickly became clear that this would not work as within 24 hours of immersing the stone in distilled water, the soluble nylon film went cloudy. Upon removal from the bath and drying at the com- pletion of the soaking treatment, the film remained slightly cloudy and had become brittle and vulnerable to damage. DeWitte also found this loss of elasticity of the film as a result of immersion in water [1]. By far the worst property of soluble nylon is its insolubility on ageing. The soluble nylon film on every object worked on has been unaffected by solvents, even phenol and con- centrated acids when they could be tried. On some limestone ostraka, warm methanol served to swell the film sufficiently to allow it to be gently scraped off with a scalpel, but this could only be done on areas where the surface was strong and there was no paint. With the limestone ostraka, it was found that the only way to remove the soluble nylon was by slowly and gently rolling it off with a scalpel or wooden toothpick. Often this was more tedious than difficult, as there was virtually no penetration of the nylon into the stone and it was, in effect, only sitting on the surface of the stone. DeWitte [1] found that tampons of 3-chloro-l,2-propanediol were successful in removing soluble nylon from stone, but this treatment could not be applied to painted or fragile areas. The only metals encountered which had been treated with soluble nylon were made of gold or a gold/silver alloy. With these, it was possible to use swabs of concentrated nitric or formic acid with some degree of success in removing the soluble nylon, but this treatment would obviously not be suitable for bronzes or other metals, especially if in averyfragile condition. Organic materials, such as wood, basketry and feathers, pose the greatest problem; there is virtually no way of removing soluble nylon from such objects without damaging them. Solutions of warm alcohol are totally ineffective and due to the nature of these materials stronger solvents and acids cannot be used. It is paradoxical and unfortunate that the only solvents remotely successful in removing soluble nylon cannot be used on fragile materials or painted surfaces which are the very areas to which the film has been applied. Even if a successful method were to be found for removing soluble nylon, there undoubtedly always will be areas on an object where it will be completely impossible to remove the film without damaging the surface. 4. CONCLUSION In view of the technical information available on the properties and behavior of soluble nylon and the experience that some conservators have had with objects treated with it, it is difficult to believe that it still continues to be used widely in conservation work today. There are so many other more suitable resins and materials now available which exhibit none of the undesirable qualities of soluble nylon that a replacement should not be difficult to find. For example, friable objects needing consolidation before soaking for soluble salts have been Studies in Conservation, 26 (1981), 102-110 108 Catherine Sease This content downloaded from 84.205.227.38 on Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:40:52 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The case against using soluble nylon in conservation work successfully treated with Paraloid B72* which has not noticeably slowed down or impeded the movement of salts. Moreover, it has not discolored, attracted dirt or become insoluble. It can only be concluded that soluble nylon should no longer be considered a suitable material for conservation purposes. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I should like to thank Geoffrey Martin, Curator of the Petrie Museum, University College, London, for allowing me to use photographs of ostraka in the Petrie Collection. I am also indebted to Elizabeth C. Welsh, formerly of the Objects Conservation Department, Metropolitan Museum of Art, for helping in the initial review of the conservation literature on soluble nylon and for running some of the tests on Calaton CB. Finally, I should like to thank John W. Sease of the Chemistry Department, Wesleyan University, for helping me with the chemistry involved in this paper. REFERENCES 1 DEWITTE, E., 'Soluble Nylon as Consolidation Agent for Stone', Studies in Conservation, 20 (1975), 30-34. 2 CAIRNS, T. L., FOSTER, H. D., LARCHAR, A. W., SCHNEIDER, A. K., and SCHREIBER, R. S., 'Preparation and Properties of N-Methyl, N-Alkoxymethyl and N-Alkylthiomethyl Polyamides', Journal of the American Chemical Society, 71 (1949), 651-655. 3 LEWIS, J. R., and REYNOLDS, R. J. W., 'N-Substitution in Polyamides', Chemistry and Industry, 10 (1951), 958-961. 4 WERNER, A. E. A., 'Technical Notes on a New Material in Conservation', Chronique d'Egypte, 33 (1958), 273-278. 5 PLENDERLEITH, H. J., and WERNER, A. E. A., The Conservation of Antiquities and Works of Art, 2nd edn, Oxford University Press, London, 1971. 6 WERNER, A. E. A., 'New Materials in the Conservation of Antiquities', Museums Journal, 64 (1964), 12. 7 BAYNES-COPE, A. D., 'Experiments in the Preservation of Completely Mineralized Textiles', in Delft Conference on the Conservation of Textiles, IIC, London, 1964, pp. 90-91. 8 GOWERS, H. J., 'The Consolidation of a Tlingit Blanket', Studies in Conservation, 13 (1968), 98-107. 9 LODEWIJKS, J., and LEENE, J. E., 'Restoration and Conservation', in Textile Conservation, (ed. J. E. LEENE), Butterworths, London, 1972, pp. 137-152. 10 ODDY, W. A., HUGHES, M. J., and BAKER, S., 'The Washing of Limestone Sculptures from Egypt and the Middle East', Lithoclastia, 2 (1976), 9. 11 GEDYE, I., 'Pottery and Glass', in The Conservation of Cultural Property, Unesco, Paris, 1968, pp. 109-113. 12 PYE, E. M., 'The Reassembly and Treatment of Roman Wall Plaster from House H, Sidi Khrebish, Benghazi, Libya', in The Conservation of Wall Paintings in the UK, including Archaeological Aspects, IIC-UKG Conference, London, March 1976. 13 SMITS, L. G. A., 'Preservation and Protection of Rock Art in Lesotho', in Conservation in Archaeology and the Applied Arts, IIC, London, 1975, pp. 75-77. 14 SZABO, Z., 'The Conservation of Adobe Walls Decorated with Mural Paintings and Reliefs in Peru', ICOM Committee for Conservation 5th Triennial Meeting, Zagreb, 1978, 78/15/7. 15 VANDYKE-LEE, D. J., 'The Conservation of Some Carved Wooden War Shields from the Tifalmin Valley, PNG', Museums Journal, 77 (1977), 77. 16 WERNER, A. E. A., 'The Conservation of Leather, Wood, Bone, Ivory and Archival Materials', in The Conservation of Cultural Property, Unesco, Paris, 1968, pp. 265-290. *A methyl acrylate/ethyl methacrylate copolymer manufactured by Rohm and Haas, Philadelphia, Pa., USA. Studies in Conservation, 26 (1981), 102-110 109 This content downloaded from 84.205.227.38 on Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:40:52 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 17 GOWERS, H. J., 'Ethnographical Featherwork', in Textile Conservation, (ed. J. E. LEENE), Butterworths, London, 1972, pp. 228-234. 18 VANDYKE-LEE, D. J., 'An Ethnographic Collecting Expedition to PNG; Field Conservation and Laboratory Treatment', The Conservator, 3 (1979), 43-46. 19 BOUSTEAD,W., 'Australian Aboriginal Bark Paintings', ICOM Committee for Conservation 3rd Triennial Meeting, Madrid, 1972. 20 ORGAN, R., 'The Consolidation of Fragile Metallic Objects', in Recent Advances in Conservation, Butterworths, London, 1963, pp. 128-134. 21 WERNER, A. E. A., 'Scientific Methods in the Conservation of Antiquities', Research, 15 (1962), 353-359. 22 URBANSKI, J., CZERWINSKI, W., JANICKA, K., MAJEWSKA, F., and ZOWALL, H., in Handbook of Analysis of Synthetic Polymers and Plastics, (ed. C. G. CAMERON), Ellis Harwood, Chichester, 1977. 23 SWEETING, O. J. (ed.), The Science and Technology of Polymer Films, Volume 2, Wiley- Interscience, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1968, pp. 667-676. 24 BILLMEYER, F. W., Textbook of Polymer Science, 2nd edn, Wiley-Interscience, John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1971. 25 KOHAN, M. I., 'Modified Nylons', in Nylon Plastics, (ed. M. I. KOHAN), John Wiley and Sons, New York, 1973, pp. 410-418. 26 FLOYD, D. E., Polyamide Resins, Reinhold Publishing Corporation, New York, 1966, pp. 3-44. 27 I.C.I. Auxiliary Products Literature No. 96: Calaton CA (1960). 28 MILES, D. C., and BRISTON, J. H., Polymer Technology, Chemical Publishing Company, New York, 1979, pp. 318-342. 29 CAIRNS, T. L., GRAY, H. W., SCHNEIDER, A. K., and SCHREIBER, R. S., 'The Reactions of N-Alkoxymethyl Polyamides', Journal of the American Chemical Society, 71 (1949), 655-657. 30 Zytel 61 Nylon Resin-Uses and Properties, Technical Information, E. I. duPont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del., USA. Received 29 August 1980 CATHERINE SEASE is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and has a B.Sc. in conservation from the Institute of Archaeology, University of London. She worked for two years as a demonstrator in the Conservation Department, Institute of Archaeology, London, and has been the conservator on numerous archaeological excavations. She is currently associate conservator in the Objects Conservation Department, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where she is in charge of the conservation and installation of the new Rockefeller Wing of primitive art. Author's address: Objects Conservation Department, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, New York, NY 10028, USA. Resume-De nombreux restaurateurs ont eu des problemes avec des objets trait6s au nylon soluble. On passe en revue la chimie des polyamides modifies, et plus sp6cialement celle du nylon soluble, du point de vue des reactions qui interviennent. On decrit des cas bases sur l'experience pratique d'utilisation en restauration du nylon soluble et les r6sultats obtenus sur des objets trait6s de cette fagon. Auszug-Viele Konservatoren hatten Probleme mit Gegenstanden, die mit loslichem Nylon behandelt worden waren. Die Chemie modifizierter Polyamide, und besonders von loslichem Nylon, wird untersucht, und die Reaktionen, die sie durchmachen. Das Verhalten von loslichem Nylon bei der Konservierung wird dann diskutiert auf der Grundlage praktischer Erfahrung, die man beim Arbeiten mit Gegenstanden, die mit loslichem Nylon behandelt worden waren, gewonnen hat. Studies in Conservation, 26 (1981), 102-110 Catherine Sease 110 This content downloaded from 84.205.227.38 on Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:40:52 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
Heterogeneous Ditopic ZnFe2O4 Catalyzed Synthesis of 4h-Pyrans: Further Conversion To 1,4-DHPs and Report of Functional Group Interconversion From Amide To Ester