Projets de recherche et publications

CORINT - Elucidating CORrosion of iron by new quantitative multimodal IN-situ Tomography
This project is a SNSF Sinergia research gathering 6 Swiss institutions: EPFL (main applicant), ETHZ, PSI, HE-Arc CR, Site et Musée Romains d'Avenches and Nagra. The projetc aims to make a breakthrough in the fundamental understanding of iron corrosion processes occurring within opaque porous media.
During this project HE-Arc will study the transient corrosion of iron archaological artiffacts while still in the soil. 
More information about this project can be found on the website: Corrosion Corint | Home (corrosion-corint.ch)

LIQUOR - Investigation and conservation of botanical wet collections
The aim of this project is to deepen the knowledge of conservation issues of botanical wet collections (plants in fluid) in order to propose adapted protocol for their correct preservation.
From a material point of view, the correct combination of fixing procedures, preservation fluid, container and sealant for a long lasting specimen’s conservation will be investigated for various categories of plant species. From an immaterial point of view, part of the research will be dedicated to the investigation of the cultural values owned by these artefacts and the optimal way to maintain them in time.  

FLUIDIS (Project leader)
Conservation of collections in fluid: the problem of DIScoloration of plants preserved in FLUId in botanical collections

The collections of specimens in fluids are an important part of the Natural History collections of our scientific cultural heritage. They can be found in botanical gardens, natural history museums, medicine and universities collections, in “Cabinets of curiosities” or other kind of museums.
The fluids collections have conservation issues that are very unique and specific, like evaporation of the solvent, airtightness, chemical and biological hazard, fragility of the container made of glass. The most specific problem is due to the discoloration of the specimen, which change the colour of the fluid used for conservation.
This project will allow the UR-Arc CR to develop a research line on this kind of heritage and to elucidate the phenomenon of specimen’s discoloration.

PARTNERS:

• Botanical Museum of the University of Zurich
• Botanical Garden of the University of Neuchâtel

FUNDING: Haute Ecole Arc

https://www.he-arc.ch/sites/www.he-arc.ch/files/COR/ProjetsRAD/pagesProjet/projet_fluidis.pdf 

CHANGE (Scientific collaborator and PhD theses co-supervisor)
Cultural Heritage Analysis for New GEnerations

The Conservation Research Unit at Haute Ecole Arc (UR-Arc CR) is one of the beneficiaries of a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN CHANGE – www.change-itn.eu, grant agreement No. 813789) funded by the EU under the Horizon 2020 programme.
Multi-modal imaging techniques, together with more traditional analytical methods, will be used to assess and monitor any change occurring to cultural heritage artefacts during their exposure to the atmosphere and due to conservation treatments. The main objective of CHANGE is in fact to track the modifications of artworks over time. This work will be carried out within an interdisciplinary consortium from 8 EU countries involving 5 Cultural Heritage (CH) and 4 Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) beneficiary institutions as well as 9 CH, ICT and industrial partners.

FUNDING: EU H2020 programme

https://www.he-arc.ch/sites/www.he-arc.ch/files/COR/ProjetsRAD/pagesProjet/projet_change.pdf 
 

ACUME_HV (Project leader)
Acoustic Emission Monitoring of Historical Vehicles

This project aims at developing a non-invasive diagnostic tool for the engines of historical vehicles conserved in museums and collections. This tool will help conservator-restorers to make a decision and implement the reactivation of engines stopped for long time.
The method called Acoustic Emission (AE) allows to detect malfunctions before they are audible by human ear. It is used in the field of automotive industry for the diagnostic of new engines and in different fields of cultural heritage for the evaluation of historical objects and artworks.
In this project acoustic emission will be used for the first time as a diagnostic method for the reactivation of the historical engines. This feasibility study could lead to the development of a very innovative procedure of conservation of heritage vehicles.

PARTNERS:

• EPFL, Tribology and Interface Chemistry group 
• Cité de l’Automobile - Collection Schlumpf, Mulhouse (France)
• Fondation E. et C. Renaud, Cortaillod

FUNDING: HES-SO, Réseau de Compétences Design et arts Visuels.

https://www.he-arc.ch/sites/www.he-arc.ch/files/COR/ProjetsRAD/pagesProjet/projet_acume_hv.pdf 

CANS - Conservation of cAns in collectioNS (Executive project leader, coordinator of the scientific activities) 
(2014-2017)
Funded by SNF (Swiss National Science Foundation), CANS project is an interdiscipliary research aiming at the conservation of food cans in museums and collections.
This project brings together conservators-restorers and conservation scientists from the Haute Ecole Arc Conservation-restauration in Neuchâtel, ethnologists from the Ethnographic Museum of Neuchâtel, food technology experts from the Institute of life technology and Institute of systems engineering of the HES-SO Valais and corrosion scientist from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale of Lausanne.
http://www.he-arc.ch/cans

PUBLICATIONS

Peer-reviewed articles

2024 Granget E., Cocen O., Shakoorioskooie M., Zhan Q., Lumongsod-Thompson M.N., Kaestner A., Mannes D., Brambilla L. Developing a Quantitative Multimodal and Multi-Scale, Fully Non-destructive Technique for In-situ Study of Iron Archaeological Artifacts. Acta IMEKO (in press)

2024 Valbi V., Furcas F.E., Neff D., Dillmann P., Angst U., Krieg M., Duvauchelle A., Berranger M., Mischler S., Brambilla L., Gutknecht N., Degrigny C. Unique corrosion behavior of an archaeological Roman iron ring: microchemical characterization and thermodynamic considerations. Corrosion Science, 111946

2023 Brambilla L. Le collezioni di lattine e scatolette alimentari: una fonte d'informazione storica e tecnologica e una sfida per i musei. Storia economica 25 (2), 543-564

2023 Carrino S., Meyer L., Dreyer J., Chalançon B., Roda-Buch A., Brambilla L. Data analysis techniques for the visualization and classification of historical vehicle engines’ health status using data-driven solutions. Conservar Património 44, 103-117

2023 Chalançon B., Roda-Buch A., Cornet E., Rapp G., Weisser T., Brambilla L. Acoustic emission monitoring as a non-invasive tool to assist the conservator in the reactivation and maintenance of historical vehicle engines. Studies in Conservation 69 (2), 102-112

2023 Schröter J., Foasso C., Bellot-Gurlet L., Brambilla L. Investigating five totalizing counters manufactured by the Alphonse Darras company of the CNAM collections in Paris. Conservar Património 44, 90-102

2023 Wain A., Filipe G., Tissot I., Brambilla L., Manso M. Conservation of industrial and technological heritage. Conservar Património 44, 9-14

2023 Russo S., Brambilla L., Thomas J.B., Joseph E. But aren’t all soaps metal soaps? A review of applications, physico-chemical properties of metal soaps and their occurrence in cultural heritage studies. Heritage Science 11 (1), 172

2023 Goidanich S., Brambilla L., Mathys L., Pellicanò R., Maghini L., Brenna A., Ceccarelli L., Gamba M., Comelli D., Letardi P., Joseph E. Effetto di pulitura e biopassivazione su acciaio Corten La metallurgia italiana: international journal of the italian association for metallurgy 9, 14-19

2022 Siatou A., Nurit M., Castro Y., Le Goïc G., Brambilla L., Degrigny C., Mansouri A. New methodological approaches in Reflectance Transformation Imaging applications for conservation documentation of cultural heritage metal objects Journal of Cultural Heritage 58, 274-283

2022 Luxman R., Castro Y.E., Chatoux H., Nurit M., Siatou A., Le Goïc G., Brambilla L., Degrigny C., Marzani F., Mansouri A. LightBot: A Multi-Light Position Robotic Acquisition System for Adaptive Capturing of Cultural Heritage Surfaces Journal of Imaging 8 (5), 134

2022 Granget E., Dangeon M., Brambilla L. Losing colour: the discolouration of plants in spirit preserved collections Journal of natural science collections 10, 60-80

2021 Latty J., Granget E., Dangeon M., Brambilla L. Prévenir le brunissement du fluide de conservation des spécimens botaniques Bulletin de la société neuchâteloise des sciences naturelles

2021 Brambilla L., Chalançon B., Roda Buch A., Cornet E., Rapp G., Mischler S. Acoustic emission techniques for the detection of simulated failures in historical vehicles engines The European Physical Journal Plus 136 (6), 641

2021 Truffa Giachet M., Schröter J., Brambilla L. Characterization and Identification of Varnishes on Copper Alloys by Means of UV Imaging and FTIR Coatings (2021), 11(3), 298

2021 Roda Buch A., Cornet E., Rapp G., Chalançon B., Mischler S., Brambilla L. Fault detection and diagnosis of historical vehicle engines using acoustic emission techniques Acta IMEKO 10 (1), 77-83

2021 Dangeon M., Cornet E., Brambilla L. Preservation of wet collections: Conservation-restoration of Botanical museum fluid collection Collection Forum 34 (1), 143-156

2018 Brambilla L., Cova Caiazzo F., Michel A., Mischler S., Bertholon R. Degradation of heritage cans: Monitoring of museums’ collections Measurement 127, 256-263 

2018 Cova Caiazzo F., Brambilla L., Montanari A., Mischler S. Characterization of commercial tinplate for food packaging Surface and Interface Analysis 50, 4:430-440

2018 Albini M., Letardi P., Mathys L., Brambilla L., Schröter J., Junier P., Joseph E. Comparison of a bio-based corrosion inhibitor versus benzotriazole on corroded copper surfaces Corrosion Science 143, 84–92 

2018 Salvadori B., Cagnini A., Galeotti M., Porcinai S., Goidanich S., Vicenzo A., Celi C., Frediani P., Rosi L., Frediani M., Giuntoli G., Brambilla L., Beltrami R., Trasatti S.Traditional and innovative protective coatings for outdoor bronze: application and performance comparison Journal of Applied Polymer Science 135, 12:46011

2016 Albini M., Comensoli L., Brambilla L., Domon Beuret E., Kooli W., Mathys L., Letardi P., Joseph E. Innovative biological approaches for metal conservation Materials and Corrosion 67, 2: 200-206 

2014 Goidanich S., Gulotta D., Brambilla L., Beltrami R., Fermo P., Toniolo L. Setup of galvanic sensors for the monitoring of gilded bronzes Sensors 14, 4:7066-7083 

2011 Brambilla L., Riedo C., Baraldi C., Nevin A., Gamberini M.C., D’Andrea C., Chiantore O., Goidanich S., Toniolo L. Characterization of raw materials used in historical ointments by molecular spectroscopic techniques: IR, Raman and Fluorescence Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 401, 6:1827-1837 

2011 Canevali C., Gentile P., Orlandi M., Modugno F., Lucejko J.J., Colombini M.P., Brambilla L., Goidanich S., Riedo C., Chiantore O., Baraldi P., Baraldi C., Gamberini M.C. A multi-analytical approach for the characterization of powders from the Pompeii archaeological site Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 401, 63:1801-1814 

2011 Colombini M.P., Modugno F., Gamberini M.C., Rocchi M., Baraldi C., Deviese T., Stacey R., Orlandi M., Saliu F., Riedo C., Chiantore O., Sciutto G., Catelli E., Brambilla L., Toniolo L., Miliani C., Rocchi P., Bleton J., Baumer U., Dietemann P., Pojana G., Marras S. A round robin exercise in archaeometry: analysis of a blind sample reproducing a XVII century pharmaceutical ointment Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry 401, 6:1847-1860

2011 Cuccia E., Piazzalunga A., Bernardoni V., Brambilla L., Fermo P., Massabo' D., Molteni U., Prati P., Valli G., Vecchi R. Carbonate measurements in PM10 near the marble quarries of Carrara (Italy) by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and source apportionment by Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) Atmospheric Environment 45, 6481-6487 

Peer-reviewed conference proceeding
 
2023 Granget E., Cocen O., Shakoorioskooie M., Zhan Q., Lumongsod-Thompson M.N., Kaestner A., Mannes D., Brambilla L. Development of a Quantitative Multimodal Imaging Technique for In-situ Study of Iron Archaeological Artefacts Proceedings of the IMEKO International Conference on Metrology for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, Rome (Italy): 408-413 (2023) 

2023 Siatou A., Nurit M., Saha S., Le Goïc G., Brambilla L., Degrigny C., Sitnik R., Mansouri A. Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) Data Analysis for Change Detection: Application to Monitoring Protective Coating Failure on Low Carbon Steel Archiving Conference 20, 42-47 (2023)

2022 Siatou A., Castro Y., Nurit M., Chatoux H., Le Goïc G., Degrigny C., Brambilla L., Mansouri A. A Methodological Approach for Multi-Temporal Tracking of Silver Tarnishing Proceedings of the 4th ACM International workshop on Structuring and Understanding of Multimedia heritAge Contents, 5-13 (2022)

2022 Russo S., Brambilla L., Thomas J.B., Joseph E. Revealing degradation patterns: Imaging Techniques for the study of metal soap formation on painted metal objects Metal 2022, proceedings of the interim meeting of the ICOM-CC metals working group

2022 Siatou A., Nurit M., Le Goïc G., Mansouri A., Brambilla L., Degrigny C. Reflectance transformation imaging feature maps for visual documentation of metals objects Metal 2022, proceedings of the interim meeting of the ICOM-CC metals working group

2019 Roda Buch A., Cornet E., Rapp G., Chalançon B., Mischler S., Brambilla L. Diagnostic of historical vehicle’s engines by acoustic emission techniques Proceedings of the IMEKO International Conference on Metrology for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, Florence (Italy): 244-248 (2019) 

2019 Roda Buch A., Cornet E., Rapp G., Chalançon B., Mischler S., Brambilla L. Development of a diagnostic tool based on acoustic emission techniques for historical vehicle’s engines Proceedings of the JIFT 2019 conference, Tours (France), 24-26 April (2019)

2019 Schröter J., Michel A., Paris C., Mirabaud S., Bellot-Gurlet L., Brambilla L. Transparent varnishes on copper alloys dating from the 19th century: characterization and identification strategies Proceedings of the interim meeting of the ICOM-CC Metals working group, Claudia Chemello, Laura Brambilla and Edith Joseph Eds., Neuchâtel (Switzerland): 58-66 (2019)

2017 Brambilla L., Cova Caiazzo F., Michel A., Mischler S., Bertholon R. Corrosion of cans in collections: the CANS project Proceedings of the IMEKO International Conference on Metrology for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage, Lecce (Italy) (2017)

2016 Brambilla L., Michel A., Bertholon R.Condition of cans in collections: a challenge in conservation Proceedings of the interim meeting of the ICOM-CC Metals working group, Raghu Menon, Claudia Chemello and Achal Pandya Eds., New Delhi (India): 266-274 (2016)

Book chapters
 
Brambilla L., Cagnini A., Porcinai S., Salvadori B., Goidanich S., Toniolo L.
Prospettive per l’inibizione della corrosione dei bronzi dorati
Chapter in the volume “Il paradiso ritrovato. Il restauro della porta del Ghiberti”, ed. Mandragora,
Florence (Italy), 2015
ISBN: 978-8874612475
 
Cagnini A., Porcinai S., Boddi R., Brambilla L., Goidanich S., Bonazza A.
Monitoraggio dello stato di conservazione all’interno della vetrina
Chapter in the volume “Il paradiso ritrovato. Il restauro della porta del Ghiberti”, ed. Mandragora,
Florence (Italy), 2015
ISBN: 978-8874612475
 
Proceedings with extended abstract
 
Joseph E., Junier P., Albini M., Letardi P., Domon Beuret E., Brambilla L., Mathys L., Cevey C., Bertholon R.
Biologically induced patina for metal built heritage
Scienza e Beni Culturali, Bressanone (Italy), 30 June - 3 July 2015
 
Joseph E., Albini M., Letardi P., Domon Beuret E., Brambilla L., Mathys L., Christian C., Bertholon R., Job D. Junier P.
Biopatinas: Innovative biological patinas for copper-based artefacts
Open Air Metal conference, Paris (France), 4-5 December 2014
 
Joseph E., Letardi P., Albini M., Comensoli L., Kooli W., Mathys L., Domon Beuret E., Brambilla L., Cevey C., Bertholon R., Job D., Junier P.
Innovative biological approaches for metal conservation
Eurocorr 2014 conference, Pisa (Italy), 8-12 September 2014
 
Goidanich S., Brambilla L., Salvadori B., Porcinai S., Cagnini A., Toniolo L.
Galvanic sensors for monitoring corrosion rate of gilded bronzes
10th International Conference on non-destructive investigations and microanalysis for the diagnostics and conservation of cultural and environmental heritage (Art’11), Florence (Italy), 13-15 April 2011
 
Other publication
 
Brambilla L., Michel A., Bertholon R., Schinz O., Gonseth M-O., Mischler S., Cova Caiazzo F., Schmitt R., Bocquel D., Flückiger G.
Conservation of cAns in collectioNS: the CANS project
(2016) BROMEC - Bulletin of Research on Metal Conservation 36: 7
 
 
National journal publication
 
Michel A., Bertholon R., Brambilla L.
L’ouverture des boîtes de conserve patrimoniales : développement d’une technique de conservation-restauration peu invasive
ARAAFU – CRBC N° 35 (2018) 16-22
 
Michel A., Bertholon R., Brambilla L.
La boîte de conserve dans les musées – Développement d’une technique d’ouverture peu invasive
Nike-Bulletin 5 (2017) 10-13
 
Domon Beuret E., Mathys L., Brambilla L., Albini M., Cevey C., Bertholon R., Junier P., Joseph E.
Biopatines: des champignons au service des alliages cuivreux
ARAAFU Cahiers techniques n. 22 (2015) 45-48
  
Agnoletti S., Brambilla L., Brini A., Cagnini A., Camaiti M., Celi C., Cetarini L., De Lapi R., Galeotti M., Goidanich S., Porcinai S., Salvadori B., Toniolo L.
Formulati e metodologie per la pulitura e la protezione di superfici metalliche
ARKOS (2012) 28 34-37
 
Goidanich S., Brambilla L., Toniolo L.
Sensori galvanici per la conservazione di opere in bronzo dorato
APCE (2011) 42 22-23
 
 
>80 Contributions to international and national conferences

Past projects:

• CTI project 2013 – 2014 (Switzerland)

Biopatines
Principal Investigator: Pilar Junier – University of Neuchâtel
Project Leader: Edith Joseph – University of Neuchâtel
CTI grant 14573.2 PFLS-LS
 

• Monitoring of the “Porta del Paradiso” in the Museo dell’Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore 2012

Collaboration with the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore foundation for the monitoring, using galvanic sensors, of the “Porta del Paradiso” exposed in the museum in September 2012
 

• National Project PRIN 2009 (Italy)

Innovative methods for the conservation of gilded bronzes
National coordinator: Prof. Cecilia Monticelli – University of Ferrara
MIUR PRIN2009 grant
 

• National Project PRIN 2007 (Italy)

Colors and balms in antiquity: from the chemical study to the knowledge of technologies in cosmetics, painting and medicine
National coordinator: Prof. Maria Perla Colombini – University of Pisa
MIUR PRIN2007