Cel Nexus — where science, art, and preservation connect.

Animation cels weren’t built for permanence. Most acetate‑based cels (cellulose acetate or cellulose triacetate, CTA) slowly break their ester bonds over time. Even in good storage, film‑preservation studies show vinegar syndrome (VS) can begin in roughly 38–50 years. Because many cels were made between the 1960s–1990s—and often lived years in less‑than‑ideal conditions—plenty are already in the risk window.

Once VS starts, it’s autocatalytic: the acetic acid that forms lowers local pH inside the plastic, which accelerates further hydrolysis. In the early “stable” phase, there’s little free acid and change is slow. As acid accumulates, the polymer’s buffering is overwhelmed, the internal pH drops, and the process accelerates.

Engineering controls (cooling, RH control, scavenging) slow the outward symptoms but can’t instantly undo internal pH drift or the diffusion time it takes for acids to leave the cel. That’s why monitoring matters: AD‑strip color, odor/ppm checks, and basic logging provide an early warning that you’re approaching the accelerating phase.

The truth: every acetate cel will show VS symptoms eventually. Preservation is a posture, not a one‑time fix. Every degree cooler, every percent RH tighter, and every molecule of acid removed is time returned to the artwork.

Collectors who ignore preservation aren’t just risking aesthetics; they are risking both cultural heritage and financial value. Cels are temporary if left in casual storage. Taking preservation seriously is the only way to ensure your art lives on.

Every cel follows a lifecycle—from stability, to onset, to irreversible decline. Knowing where your art sits on that curve is the first step toward protecting it.