Blogs
Reference guides and engineering approaches for cel preservation.
Featured / Launch Articles
Start here — the core foundations.
The Chemistry of Hydrolysis
Where vinegar syndrome begins: ester cleavage, acetic acid formation, autocatalysis.
FundamentalThe Materials That Shaped Animation History
Nitrate → acetate → polyester: how base chemistry drives longevity.
FundamentalThe Diagnostic Tool Everyone Should Be Using
A‑D strips explained: how to read them and what the colors mean.
FundamentalThe Silent Killer
Vinegar Syndrome as a progressive chemical disease — phases and early signs.
FundamentalTemperature & Humidity: The Two Levers That Control Cel Life
Temperature & humidity as accelerants: absolute humidity, dew point, life-factor impact.
FundamentalThe Progression of Cel Degradation
Visual timeline — odor onset, warping, stickiness, paint fusion.
Science of Preservation — Coming Soon
Technical deep dives that underpin the practice.
Acetic Acid Transport and Diffusion Dynamics
How acid migrates and equilibrates: Fick’s Law, partial pressures, boundary layers.
Understanding Film Acidity (and What ‘Acid‑Free’ Really Means)
Intrinsic film acidity vs neutral/“acid‑free” enclosures and buffering.
Dew Point and Condensation Control
Predicting and preventing micro‑condensation in cold storage.
Arrhenius Modeling for Preservation Life Estimation
Using activation energy and temperature to forecast lifetime.
Motion Picture Film vs Animation Cel Film
Structure, coatings, and storage tolerances compared.
Applied Preservation & Best Practices — Coming Soon
Turn fundamentals into everyday decisions.
Cel Storage Best Practices
Targets for RH/T, enclosures, ventilation, and inspection cadence.
Vertical vs Horizontal Orientation for Storage
How geometry, gravity, and paint load influence deformation risk.
The Economics of Cold Storage
Lifespan extension vs energy cost — ROI thinking for collectors.
Hygrometers and Environmental Monitoring
Sensor selection, calibration, placement, and data logging.
Cel Preservation Management
From one-off fixes to a proactive, data‑driven maintenance plan.
A Comparative Look at different scavengers
Capacity, selectivity, and reconditioning trade‑offs.
Philosophy & Future Work — Coming Soon
Where the field is going and why it matters.
The Case for Physical Preservation in a Digital World
Authenticity, material evidence, and provenance beyond pixels.
Resetting a Cel — From Acidic to Stable
Conditioning strategy and verification concepts.
The Future of Cel Certification
Quantitative standards that can unlock trust and value.