Considering the aging and deterioration of leather objects, the typical form that occurs is hardening due to a decrease in flexibility, making it hard or brittle. If this condition continues
cracks, splits, peeling, strength decreases and tearing or c...
Considering the aging and deterioration of leather objects, the typical form that occurs is hardening due to a decrease in flexibility, making it hard or brittle. If this condition continues
cracks, splits, peeling, strength decreases and tearing or cuttingoccurs. This condition is because collagen bonds are broken and flexibility is reduced due to loss of moisture and fat. This conditionmanily comes from environmental influences, with factors such as humidity, temperature, light, oxygen, pH and air pollution. In order to treat the decrease in flexibility, which is deterioration phenomenon, a stabilization process is required using surface treatments, softeners, conditioner, consolidants, surface coating. However there is a lack of prior cases or research using surfacetreatments in the conservation of leather objects. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to study the physical characteristics of surface treatments used in the conservation treatment process of eather objects and to find applicable surface treatments. It also aims to propose a method that can be applied in various ways by using two surface treatments mixed or separately. Natural cowhide specimens were made, and applied by selecting four types of surface treatments from oils and waxes (NYPL leather dressing, Polymerized oil, SC6000, Ester wax), one type of oil and wax mixture, and two types of synthetic resins (klucel G, Cellugel).It was applied after 96 hours of artificial aging of heat. After
application, deterioration was observed for 48, 96, 144, 192, and 240 hours, and two types of surface treatments (Klucel G+NYPL leather dressing, Kucel G+polymerized oil, Klucel G+SC6000) were mixed and used according to the results. So, six more methods were selected and tested in the same way, and the characteristics of the surface treatments were studied using the results through visual observation, microscopic observation, chromatic measurement, flexibility measurement, and contact angle measurement. As a result of the study, Klucel G of synthetic resin showed the best results in dimensional change, color difference, and flexibility, and showed improved flexibility immediately after application. Cellugel showed similar results, but the change in flexibility was significant after 192 hours of artificial aging. Oil-based polymerized oil has shown results in maintaining flexibility over a long period of
time. In the case of NYPL dressing, it showed the highest results in the color difference, but as shown in the contact angle measurement, it had high hydrophobic property, showing a high
waterproofing effects. In the case of SC6000, its role as a coating agent was clearly shown in microscopic observations and contact angle measurements, and when mixed with Klucel G, improved results in color difference and flexibility were obtained. In the case of ester wax, although there is a large change in size and color, it shows results in maintaining flexibility stably after deterioration, so application according to the color of leather artifacts should be considered. In the oil and wax mixed treatment, a thin film was observed in the beginning and a change in flexibility was observed like a wax-based treatment agent, but as deterioration progressed, flexibility was maintained stably like an oil-based treatment agent. Experiments with mixed application of surface treatments showed positive results with mixed use. It reduced the colour difference compared to the sole use. In terms of application method, the
results showed that the two surface treatments were more effective in terms of flexibility when applied separately and at different times than when mixed. Finally, the flexibility-enhancing surface treatment did not show the properties of a coating to protect the surface. Therefore, it is necessary to consider using a coating after using a surface treatment to enhance flexibility.