The Dark Side of Iron Gall

Ink:
Corrosion and Conservation
Presentation by Emma Esperon
Library Studies 490

A Brief History
Middle Ages to the 1900s.
Predecessor: Carbon Ink
Successor: Synthetic Inks
Drafts of American
Constitution
Leonardo da Vincis
Notebooks
Ink Drawings Done by
Rembrandt and Van Gogh

Ingredients
Tannin from Galls on Trees (below)
Vitriol aka Iron Sulfate (left)
Gum Arabic, the binding agent (bottom
left)
Water

Ink Corrosion Evolution

Model

Environment and Handling

1604

1807

Signs of Corrosion
Cracks Cause Holes in the Ink

Bleeding and
Discoloration Around the
Ink

Change of Ink Color and Opacity

Risk Areas
Large Areas of Ink
Heavily Applied

Treatments:
Wash or Paper Simmering
Submersion in Near Boiling
Water
90C Water for 15 minute
increments
Dissolves 50-100% of iron (II)
ions most of the acids

Consequences: paper
shrinking, bleeding

Treatments:
Deacidification
Aqueous Treatment
Magnesium carbonate, Calcium
bicarbonate, or Magnesium bicarbonate
Prevents Acid Hydrolysis (starch
sugar)

Alkaline Treatment
neutralizes the acids left by
the Sulfate in the Vitriol
The excess Iron remains in
the document to rust over
time
Consequences:
Paper Yellowing,

Treatments:
Phytate
Calcium-Phytate / CalciumBicarbonate
The Phytate chelates
Binds the iron (II) and iron (III) ions
Stops the Oxidation Process

The calcium-bicarbonate is a
deacidifer
Neutralizes the acidic components
of the ink

Consequences: white powdered

precipitate that can be easily
brushed away

No Treatment
Original
Blotting
Sand
Remains
on Ink
(right)
Paper Simmering Consequences
(below)

Before
Deacidification
After

Treatment removes Original

Character of the record
Treatment fundamentally
changes the composition of the
record
Cannot Prove History:
No Dating
Provenance
Authorship

Thoughts?

Preserve First!
Cool Environment
Low Moisture
Conservation
Calcium-Phytate /
Calcium-Bicarbonate
Method
Lesser Side Effects
No cracking, bleeding,
blotting, fading,
Stops the oxidation and
the acid hydrolysis

Works Cited
Banik, Gerhard, et al. The Iron Gall Ink Website. Ed. Birgit Reissland and Frank Ligterink. European
Commission on Preservation and Access, Bureau Metamorfoze, the Cultural Heritage Agency of the
Netherlands, 13 Feb. 2011. Web. 16 Apr. 2012. <http://ink-corrosion.org/>.
Louisiana Binding Service, Inc. "LBS-A Unique Line of Solutions: Deacidification." Document Preservation
Specialists. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2012. <http://www.louisianabindingservice.com/solutions.html>.
Morenus, Linda Stiber. In Search of a Remedy: History of Treating Iron-Gall Ink at the
Library of Congress. The Book and Paper Group Annual 22 (2003): 119-125. Web. 16 Apr. 2012 PDF File.
< http://cool.conservation-us.org/coolaic/sg/bpg/annual/v22/bp22-23.pdf>.

Pedersoli, Jose Luiz, Jr., and Birgit Reiland. "Risk Assessment." N.d. PDF File.
<www.viks.sk/chk/res_4_03_205_226.doc>.
Reiland, Birgit, and Suzan De Goot. "Ink Corrosion: Comparison of Currently Used Aqueous Treatments
for Paper Objects." N.d. PDF file. <cool.conservation-us.org/iada/ta99_121.pdf>.
Shamayim, Melechet. "Dyo Making." The STa"M Forum. Ed. Eli Gutnick. Blogger, 1 Mar. 2012. Web. 16 Apr.
2012. <http://stamforum.blogspot.com/2012/03/dyo-making.html>.
Schell, Laura. "Process." Laura Schell Paper Conservator. N.p., 2009. Web. 16 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.paperconservationwny.com/process.htm>.
Tse, Season, et al. "The Effect of Simmering on the Chemical and Mechanical Properties of Paper."
Restaurator and Canadian Conservation Institute Newsletter 36 (Fall 2005): 14-35. Germany. Web. 16 Apr.
2012 PDF file. <http://www.viks.sk/chk/res_1_05_14_35.doc>.