Ludwick, Lena, A comparative study on surface treatments in conservation of dry leather, with focus on silicone oil, BA/Sc thesis, Goteborg, Göteborgs Universitet, 2012
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Abstract:
In the museums, private collections and historical houses, there
is a wealth of leather artifacts, in various need of conservation. The
treatment options, however, are few, and all with their drawbacks. This
thesis aims to evaluate silicone oil as a surface treatment for dry
leather, in comparison to two other treatments, Klucel G and British
Museum leather dressing (BML). The study shows that the silicone oil
treatment yields satisfactory results, and the literature and previous
studies have indicated
superior long term characteristics. Klucel G gave less than
satisfactory results, but has better long term characteristics than the
BML, though the BML also had satisfactory direct results.
The chemical composition, tanning and deterioration of leather are also
described The properties and chemical composition of the silicone oil
treatment are reviewed and discussed. The treatment consists of three
components: the silicone oil, a cross-linker and a catalyst. They create
an internal scaffolding in the cell wall, stabilizing the cellular
structure.
The biggest drawback of the silicone oil treatment is that it is
non-reversible, and that has to be factored in to any decision made to
conserve an object. The ethical implications are discussed, and the
decision whether or not to use the silicone oil treatment should be done
on a case-to-case basis, weighing in all factors.