With the implementation of glass casting in France in the second half of the 17th century, larger mirrors could be produced. So-called tin-mercury mirrors were made by coating glass with tin amalgam. Today, many historical mirrors are partly damaged, the image quality is compromised, and the material integrity of the mirror is threatened. The transformation from tin into an oxide starts at the surface of the amalgam and proceeds down to the glass surface. The mercury dissolves as a liquid or gaseous phase. The amalgam layer is destroyed, so that conservation is necessary. Conservators must follow strict safety precautions while handling amalgam mirrors because of possible mercury emissions and corrosion of the amalgam, during which elemental mercury accumulates near the mirror frame in droplets and is emitted into the air.
In a research project, the quantity of the mercury emissions from historical mirrors was examined and a technique to decrease these emissions was developed.
With the implementation of glass casting in France in the second half of the 17th century, larger mirrors could be produced. So-called tin-mercury mirrors were made by coating glass with tin amalgam. Today, many historical mirrors are partly damaged, the image quality is compromised, and the material integrity of the mirror is threatened. The transformation from tin into an oxide starts at the surface of the amalgam and proceeds down to the glass surface. The mercury dissolves as a liquid or gaseous phase. The amalgam layer is destroyed, so that conservation is necessary. Conservators must follow strict safety precautions while handling amalgam mirrors because of possible mercury emissions and corrosion of the amalgam, during which elemental mercury accumulates near the mirror frame in droplets and is emitted into the air.
In a research project, the quantity of the mercury emissions from historical mirrors was examined and a technique to decrease these emissions was developed.
Mit der Erfindung des Glas-Guß-Walzverfahrens eröffnete sich die Möglichkeit, größere Spiegelflächen als zuvor herzustellen. Diese sogenannten Quecksilberspiegel sind mit Zinnamalgam beschichtet. Wenn Restauratoren mit Zinnamalgamspiegeln arbeiten, müssen sie strenge Sicherheitsvorkehrungen einhalten. Häufig finden sich im Spiegelrahmen Quecksilberkugeln, die beim Öffnen herausfallen und damit gesundheitsschädliches Quecksilber freisetzen können. In einem Forschungsprojekt wurden die Quecksilberemissionen aus Zinnamalgamspiegeln gemessen und Möglichkeiten entwickelt, diese zu verringern.