Paper and Textile Conservation

  • Fundamental chemistry of conservational treatments
  • Monitoring of hydrolytic and oxidative cellulose degradation
  • Assessment and monitoring of the damage state of cellulosic objects (historical papers and textiles, books, manuscripts, codices, garments, tapestry)
  • Chemistry of paper mass deacidification
  • Gall ink and copper ink corrosion

Key publications:

  1. Henniges, U., Schröter, K. PapierRestaurierung 2005, 6, 25-32. Copper-corroded wallpapers– in situ -treatment with non-aqueous magnesium compounds? Kupferfraßgeschädigte Tapeten- in situ Behandlung mit nicht-wässrigen Magnesiumverbindungen?
  2.  Henniges, U., Banik, G., Potthast, A. Macromol. Symp. 2006, 232, 129-136. Comparision of aqueous and non-aqueous treatments of cellulose to reduce copper-catalyzed oxidation processes.
  3.  Henniges, U., Prohaska, T., Banik, G., Potthast, A. Cellulose 2006, 13, 421-428. A fluorescence labeling approach to assess the deterioration state of aged papers.
  4.  Henniges U., Bürger U., Banik G., Rosenau T., Potthast A. Macromol. Symp. 2007, 244, 194-203. Copper corrosion: Comparison between naturally aged papers and artificially aged model papers.
  5.  Henniges, U., Banik, G., Reibke, R., Potthast A. Macromol. Symp 2008, 262, 150-161. Studies into the Early Degradation Stages of Cellulose by Different Iron Gall Ink Components.
  6.  Potthast, A., Henniges, U., Banik, G. Ink-induced corrosion of cellulose: aging, degradation and stabilization. Part 1: model paper studies. Cellulose 2008, DOI 10.1007/s10570-008-9237-1
  7.  Henniges, U., Reibke, R., Banik, G., Huhsmann, E., Hähner, U., Prohaska, T., Potthast, A. Ink-induced corrosion of cellulose: aging, degradation and stabilization. Part 2: application on historic sample material. Cellulose 2008, DOI 10.1007/s10570-008-9238-0
  8.  Potthast, A., Henniges, U., Banik, G. Nachrichten aus der Chemie 2008, 56, 635-639. Warum Papier löcherig wird.
  9.  Henniges, U., Potthast, A. Phytate treatment of metallo-gallate inks: Investigation of its effectiveness on models and historic samples, Restaurator 2008, accepted for publication