Subject: MicroChamber products
Cathy Sieracki <sierackc [at] tffwc__mhs__compuserve__com> writes >Does any one know anything about the MicroChamber products by >Conservation Resources? I just received their catalog. They claim >that it absorbs off-gassing, dust and pollutants keeping them from >artifacts. Does the stuff really work? What happens when the box or >paper is saturated? In your opinion is it really worth the extra >money, which is almost double the price of their regular materials. MicroChamber materials are in use in major institutions around the world. When Conservation Resources first introduced MicroChamber products, there was an approximately 40% differential in cost between them and our Lig-Free products. Since that time we have greatly increased the effectiveness of the MicroChamber products while reducing the cost of these materials. Currently there is approximately a 10% difference in the cost of a letter size document case in MicroChamber versus our lignin free (Lig-free) board, and a 5 to 6% increase in the cost of photographic storage boxes made from the lignin free versus the MicroChamber board. In addition to the test results shown in our catalog, we have photographs showing buffered paper and MicroChamber paper in lab jars full of pollutants. The MicroChamber paper has removed the pollutants in the jar, while the jar containing the buffered paper remains full of dense yellow pollutant smog. The pH of the buffered paper had dropped to pH 2.4, while the MicroChamber paper, despite removing the smog in the jar, had remained in the neutral range. We have many test examples other than those displayed in the center of our current catalog, however they are of copyrighted material, so we cannot publish them. An article on MicroChamber paper has been published in Restaurator, 1993, 14, 123 -130, and also in the IIC journal (MicroChamber Papers used as a Preventative Conservation Material). Nielsen & Bainbridge produce mat and mounting boards under the name Artcare which use the MicroChamber technology. They have produced a variety of literature and a video describing this material which may be of interest to anyone curious to know more about this product. Their phone is (800) 342 0124 or (201) 368 9191. We also have a MicroChamber Emulsion which can be applied like a paint. Please feel free to call if you have any questions about this product. Bill Hollinger Conservation Resources 800-634-6932 Fax: 703-321-0629 *** Conservation DistList Instance 9:38 Distributed: Thursday, November 2, 1995 Message Id: cdl-9-38-008 ***Received on Wednesday, 1 November, 1995