Plastics conservation – Barbie™ and friends

Abstract

• The chemical sciences and their applications are all around us. Many museums and galleries have scientific departments, and collectors of objects that may not even be "antique" in the strict definition of the word often need to have some scientific knowledge to stop their collection deteriorating. This resource shows how chemical techniques are used in conserving objects made from a wide variety of materials and seeks to introduce some of the ethical considerations of conservation to students. It is hoped that this will encourage teachers and students to consider the chemical sciences in their widest context and to reinforce the beneficial aspects of chemistry in unlikely contexts.