This project is a collaboration between the PlastIC Lab and the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum in Exeter, to identify and characterise plastic materials in the museum’s collection. The project utilises portable Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to determine the composition of a selected number of plastic objects. Additionally, colour and gloss measurements, alongside digital microscopy, are used to further assess the objects’ surface properties and condition.

This project provides the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum with a deeper understanding of its plastic objects, helping ensure their longevity and informing future conservation and exhibition strategies. Through the expertise and advanced analytical tools available at PlastIC Lab, this collaboration contributes to best practices in heritage science and plastic conservation.

Aims and Objectives:

• • Material Identification: Use the portable FTIR to determine the polymeric composition of a
         specific number of plastic objects in the collection.
  • Surface Analysis: Employ a portable digital microscope to examine and document surface
         features.
  • Colour and Gloss Measurement: Capture quantitative data on colour and gloss to understand
         changes in material aesthetics over time.
  • Conservation and Documentation: Provide the museum with detailed material characterisation
         data to inform conservation strategies, risk assessment, and display recommendations.