ZFB – Zentrum für Bucherhaltung

The ZFB Zentrum für Bucherhaltung GmbH (centre for book conservation) has been founded as a spin-off from the restoration department of the German National Library in 1997 and has a high experience in the conservation of books, paper, leather and textiles. Today ZFB counts about 50 permanent employees. Besides the necessary qualified personnel, the company possesses all significant restoration technologies (aqueous treatment, deacidification, freeze-drying, paper stabilization, cleaning methods, etc.). The section of active conservation in the ZFB has wide experiences in the handling of CH objects out of different materials like leather, parchment, paper, wood, metal and textile. ZFB also provides professional consultancy and immediate reaction in case of disasters (floods, fire, building collapse). With the production of archive boxes, ZFB has recently developed a new business segment for preventive conservation.

Expertise and infrastructure related to the project

Analysis and testing Equipment:
– A full air-conditioned laboratory (norm climate 23°C, 50%rH)
– Equipment for mechanical tests (tear strength, burst strength, folding endurance)
– DP measure equipment (Cuen-method)
– XRF spectrometer (handheld)
– NIR spectrometer
– VIS spectrometer (colour measurement)
– PH (surface and extract measurement)
– Automatic titration equipment
– 2 ageing chambers (each about 1 m3)
– Static light-scattering spectrometer for particle size measurement (20-30,000 nm)
– Microscope with heatable table for measuring shrinking temperature of leather or parchment
– Digital microscope
– Mould analysis by ATP and AMP-measurement
– Dilathometer (up to 1600°C)