Material Vulnerability: Analytical Approaches to the Identification and Characterization of Alterations and Deterioration Processes in Translucent Paper

Abstract

Research in the field of cultural heritage has grown due to the need to preserve cultural assets that serve as witnesses to history and culture. In conservation and restoration, research on traditional papers is extensive, but translucent papers have received less attention. These documents, of proteinaceous, cellulosic, or synthetic origin, achieve transparency through processes that modify their structure, which makes them more vulnerable to aging. Their degradation is aggravated by inadequate storage and handling, posing challenges because they do not respond well to conventional treatments. This study analyzes these issues using documents from the late nineteenth and primarily the twentieth century, sourced from the Provincial Historical Archive of Granada and the Archive of the Higher Technical School of Architecture in Granada. Through visual, photographic, and bibliographic study, a theoretical and graphic catalogue of the most significant deteriorations has been developed. Concurrently, a physicochemical analysis was applied using techniques such as colorimetry, X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF), and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). These tools make it possible to relate the material composition of the documents to their state of preservation. This work provides deeper knowledge about the degradation mechanisms of these supports and lays the foundations for the development of specific restoration strategies for this documentary typology.