![]() Children’s toys are part of social memory, mirroring the needs of the period when they were produced. Plastic items have defined our culture: ordinary objects, such as toys, are the reflection of significant social developments in political, cultural, scientific, and military history. Hence, they have become a significant part of many museum collections, posing major problems for collectors and conservators, due to their fast degradation. During the past decades, artists, designers, and architects have used these synthetic materials to create pieces that are now recognized as iconic items. Plastics entered the technological scene at the beginning of the 20th century. The micro-invasive multi-analytical approach also allowed for the characterization of the degradation products, permitting the reference of the exudated compound to the specific bulk polymer. Multispectral photography in visible (VIS) and ultraviolet (UV) light, microscopical observations in VIS and UV light, and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy in the Attenuated Total Reflectance mode (FT-IR ATR) were performed to characterize the constituent materials of 15 Barbies produced between 19, bridging the information gap on their processing over the years. Over the years, Barbies’ polymeric constituents were replaced with more stable ones, whose additives migration is limited compared to PVC, even though still occurring. Firstly, Barbies were made of plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC), affected by the migration of additives-mostly the plasticizers-from the bulk phase to the outermost layer, appearing as a tacky and glossy exudate. ![]() ![]() However, just like most museum objects made of plastics, both historical and more recent Barbies show evident degradation phenomena. Today, they are being collected by individuals and often conserved in museum environments due to their cultural and historical significance reflecting everyday life and historical events. Mattel’s Barbie dolls are the most famous and iconic dolls since 1959.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |