Diagnosis Of The Condition Of Scientific And Technical Collections: Historical Extinguishers Of The Muncyt

The correct identification of the materials of assets that make up the movable scientific and technical heritage and the interactions between them is essential to establish effective conservation strategies with adapted intervention criteria. In this work, a study of the conservation condition, materials and pathologies of the collection of fire extinguishers of the National Museum of Science and Technology is presented. A database has been created with 56 fire extinguishers from the museum, documenting each object, typology and conservation condition. The analyses carried out on some of them (by X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction) have made it possible to identify the materials of the fire extinguishers, in some cases their contents, and to establish degradation mechanisms. In the case of foam and water fire extinguishers, it has been shown that the extinguishing agent is highly corrosive and has caused severe damage to the objetct. In these cases, it is advisable to eliminate the content if correct conservation of the fire extinguishers is to be ensured.