AIC's 52nd Annual Meeting

This poster summarizes the results of a short internship in 2023 focused on plastics identification at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City. The goal of this research was to more accurately identify a selection of plastics in collections objects and deepen my understanding of the types of polymers typically found in design museum collections.

This project follows up on a year-long survey begun in 2012. In this survey, ca. 1,500 collections objects were assessed for condition, storage recommendations were made and implemented, and a handful of objects were analyzed using portable Raman and Fourier-transfer infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy by conservation scientists. My project focused on a small subset of the objects included in the earlier survey. Over four weeks, 37 collections objects and 58 reference samples were analyzed using Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR)-FTIR spectroscopy.

Cooper Hewitt’s remit is to collect and care for important and impactful design. As indelible materials of the 20th century design narrative, its Product Design and Decorative Arts curatorial department is filled with examples of natural (horn, tortoiseshell) and early plastics such as those made of cellulose derivatives and formaldehyde-based resins (i.e., Bakelite). Modern plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyurethane foams have consistently made their way into the collection over time. As today the museum collects a wide variety of objects, from one-of-a-kind works of art to disposable commodity items, an impressive range of plastics in varying conditions are present both on display and in museum storage.

It’s no secret that art and design museums face unique challenges when it comes to understanding plastics in their collections. Plastics are made from varying proportions and mixtures of polymers and additives and can be nearly impossible to distinguish from one another, even if their degradation phenomena and aesthetic qualities appear nearly identical. The complex composition of these objects challenges both identification and appropriate treatment and/or storage options. Complicating matters is the fact that many design objects exist as multiples or editions, calling into question long-held conventions in our field regarding authenticity, authorship, and ownership.

While many objects in our survey were identified with confidence, matches using FTIR were not always straightforward. Plasticizers and other additives can obscure spectra, rendering confident identification nearly impossible. Compounding the complexity of the task is the fact that many objects are made of composite materials. While ATR-FTIR is a very useful technique for bulk polymer identification, not all collections objects are suitable for this technique due to their size, shape, and/or condition, among other factors. It thus became vital to use a three-pronged approach: considering historical context along with sensory information and the use of scientific analysis to accurately determine polymers. The short but ambitious project provided the institution – and me – with a wealth of information about the complex plastics materials increasingly encountered by cultural heritage professionals, especially those working in modern and contemporary design collections.