This study is part of a larger research project dedicated to digital print preservation issues -the Digital Print Preservation Portal (DP3). This work quantifies the potential of glazing materials to mitigate different types of light-induced damage -colorant fade, paper yellowing, changes in paper gloss, and loss of optical brightening agent (OBA) function -that occur to digitally printed photographs and documents when on display. Prints were subjected to xenon lighting to simulate daylight through window glass in a series of arrangements: without glazing, with plain framing glass (soda-lime) in a sealed or unsealed package, and with UV blocking glass in a sealed or unsealed package. Sealed packages served the purpose of isolating the samples from atmospheric pollutants, known to contribute to the deterioration of certain print types. In this study, the use of UV-filtering glass protected prints from colorant fade, paper yellowing, and paper gloss change to an extent. Protection conveyed by plain glass was less comprehensive and less effective than UV glass. Neither type of glazing was able to keep the OBAs functional by the end of the light exposure. It was also seen that light-induced damage to digital prints is due not only to UV radiation, but also to visible light, and that different digital prints may be more vulnerable to one or the other. Protecting sensitive prints from UV radiation and budgeting the amount of light they may be exposed to should be essential to any print display policy in order to ensure longevity.
This study is part of a larger research project at the Image Permanence Institute dedicated to digital print preservation issues -the Digital Print Preservation Portal (DP3). Previous DP3 studies determined that certain digital print types are prone to cracking and/or abrasion, and that factors such as low relative humidity, pollutants, and light increase the brittleness of the ink-receiving layer of some inkjet papers. The purpose of this investigation was to explore if light also increases the propensity of inkjet prints to abrade, and to examine the potential of framing glazings to mitigate light-induced physical damage (cracking and abrasion) by attenuating some portion of the UV spectrum. Inkjet papers and prints were subjected to xenon lighting (to simulate daylight through window glass) without glazing, or in sealed framing packages with plain framing glass (soda-lime) or UV filtering glass. Before and after light exposure, brittleness, and abrasion resistance were evaluated independently using two tests: ISO 18907 (Imaging materialsPhotographic films and papers -Wedge test for brittleness) and a rub test utilizing a Sutherland ® Rub Tester. In this study, exposure to light increased the cracking and/or abrasion tendency of some specimens. The use of UV filtering glass reduced this light-induced propensity in all cases. Plain glass protected all samples from at least one of these two types of surface damage, but was less effective than UV glass. Light-induced brittleness and sensitivity to abrasion were mostly, though not exclusively, caused by UV radiation. It was also seen that some prints may become brittle and/or prone to abrasion in the absence of image fade. Budgeting the amount of light these objects can be exposed to, protecting them from UV radiation, and handling prints with caution especially after exhibition, is essential in order to limit physical damage.
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