3D printing technology has been actively applied for the restoration of cultural properties. However, its application to the restoration of glass cultural properties has not yet been reported and thus requires further study. In this study, 3D printing...
3D printing technology has been actively applied for the restoration of cultural properties. However, its application to the restoration of glass cultural properties has not yet been reported and thus requires further study. In this study, 3D printing technology was used to restore a defective part of a glass sarira bottle that forms an element of a series of sarira reliquaries commissioned by Yi Seonggye (known as King Taejo after founding the Joseon Dynasty) that was xcavated from Geumgangsan Mountain (designated as Treasure No. 1925) and is currently housed at the National Museum of Korea. The defective area was reproduced using 3D printing and the printed reproduction was reproduced again using an epoxy resin. This latter piece was used as the restoration component rather than the 3D printed element. After the completion of the conservation treatment, the materials used for the 3D printing were compared with
transparent materials used to restore ceramics to evaluate their usability and stability. A total of five specimens were produced, including from photocurable resin made by a stereo lithography apparatus (SLA), epoxy resin, acrylic resin, and more. They were exposed to UV for 96 hours to test for yellowing. Of the two specimens made of photocurable resins and exposed to UV, one was sprayed with a UV blocking agent but the other was exposed as-is.
The UV exposure test showed that the specimen made by the SLA and sprayed with a UV blocking agent and the specimen made of epoxy resin were stable in terms of yellowing with a change in the b-value was less than 1. They are thus considered to be suitable materials for the restoration of glass cultural properties. Such glass cultural properties are often diverse in shape and their restoration can be difficult as they generally consist of a range of complex parts that hamper restoration. In this regard, diverse materials should be considered when selecting materials for the restoration of glass cultural properties.