• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.451-464
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• 2009

To do conservation for ceramics, sometimes it needs to clean the ceramics chemically to remove stains on the ceramics, which should be performed with caution. This study will provide quantitative data about the extraction characteristics of major elements from ceramics through the soaking test to evaluate the stability of ceramic cleaning agents. As soft textured pottery(fired at $700^{\circ}C$) had high absorption, it showed higher extraction characteristics in short soaking time. Especially the strong acid among chemical cleaning agents caused the expoliation and the color change on the surface of soft textured pottery. But these color change had no effect on the physical characteristics of soft textured pottery. The hard textured pottery(fired at $1,000^{\circ}C$) is relatively stable in the cleaning agent because it is ascertained the extraction of that was not enough and also it had little chromatic and physical change by strong acid. Porcelains(Celadon, Whiteware and Puncheong ware) was safer than the soft textured pottery due to their low extraction. But it should take precautions to clean the porcelains with lots of cracklewares such like Puncheong ware chemically in connection with the extraction characteristics and their cracklewares.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.345-356
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• 2011

To remove metal stains of the ceramics, chemical cleaning is essential case by case. This study investigated the removal characteristics of iron stains by oxalic acid and citric acid including their application methods of soaking and poultice. The soaking method in cleaning agents showed removal process by color difference and released iron contents from iron stains on ceramics. Iron stains were removed successfully from ceramics, which soaked in oxalic acid for 60 hours. However, it is recommendable to soak in 0.25M oxalic acid for one to three hours because most iron stains were disappeared in 3 hours soaking. Citric acid is less effective than oxalic acid in removing iron stains because of heavy molecular weight and low acidity. Poultices (bentonite, sepiolite, activated carbon fiber and celite) with oxalic acid were applied on contaminated ceramics. After ten hours, iron stains on ceramics were removed successfully by poultice. Among them, bentonite and sepiolite have better application. Therefore, sepiolite with 0.25M oxalic acid was applied on the iron stains of whiteware and celadon from Ma Island, and then stains were removed. However, it is judged that the application methods can be varied according to the form and depth of contaminant. In addition, the residues of poultice on the ceramics will be considered for preventing contamination.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.368-382
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• 2020

It was confirmed that a white porcelain figurine in underglaze iron was damaged after exhibition. This study analyzes the current state of salt damage on the artifact and identifies the factors contributing to its deterioration by examining the material characteristics of the artifact and exhibition environment. The analysis will thus assist in preparing a conservation scheme for artifacts. The crystallized carbonate on the surface of the white porcelain figurine is a water-soluble alkali salt with high hygroscopicity and high solubility in water. This solubility increases as the temperature increases. The figurine was low-fired at approximately 1000℃. A lead glaze was applied, and thin cracks were formed on the glazed surface, indicating poor surface properties. Our analysis suggested that the showcase used in the exhibition likely created a moist environment resulting from condensation, as it was exposed to high temperature and relative humidity, particularly in comparison to the exhibition room where the temperature was regulated using an air conditioner. In addition, the artifacts in the showcase were exposed to sudden changes in temperature and relative humidity as the air conditioner was repeatedly turned on and off. Therefore, it can be deduced that the soluble salt remaining on the white porcelain figurine moved toward the surface of the relatively weak glaze as a result of the temperature, and the crystallized salt exacerbated surface damage as the moisture evaporated in a dry environment.