[NHCOLL-L:1539] Stabilizing carbon films

[Jessica Theodor]

I am hoping someone here can help direct me towards the right resources.
Our museum is in the process of getting new exhibits ready. The exhibit
planning has been going on for some time, and I started work here very
recently. One of our exhibits is heavily based on a large collection of
fossil plant material, much of which is preserved as thin carbon films on
somewhat friable carbonaceous shale.
These films are fairly fragle, and I am worried that they will crumble if
put on display as is without being stabilized in some way - they fall apart
all too easily.
The exhibit designer suggested that he has seen egg whites used to do this,
as they can be removed. Is this in any way a useful solution? Does anyone
have other suggestions or pointers to literature on consolidants for this
kind of material? My background is vertebrate paleontology, and this is a
conservation issue that I am not familiar with.
Thanks,
Jessica 
__________________
Jessica Theodor
Dept. of Geology
Illinois State Museum
1011 E. Ash St.
Springfield, IL
62703

office phone: (217) 785-4844
FAX: (217) 785-2857
e-mail: jtheodor at museum.state.il.us