A ‘green’ approach to antique textile cleaning
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Book Chapter |
| Language: | English Slovak |
| ISBN: | ISBN 1-84407-253-3 |
| Online Access: | http://www.viks.sk/chk/14tmh_5.doc |
| Abstract: | SUMMARIES. The use of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) as a dry-cleaning solvent of old silk textiles was investigated. The harmfulness of the dry scCO2 method, which concerns colour variation due to the solubilization of the mordant ions, as well as loss of textile material, was compared with conventional wetcleaning methods. The cleaning procedures under study were tested on 18th century religious garments from Virgin and Child from the Palácio das Necessidades, Lisbon. Contrary to the severe loss of material (50 per cent) that occurred during the wet-cleaning, scCO2 proved to be a very safe solvent for cleaning very deteriorated silk textiles. CONCLUSIONS. The use of scCO2 proved to be a very safe procedure for cleaning very eteriorated silk textiles. The physical integrity of the fibre was preserved and the metal ions responsible for colour were not extracted. In the samples studied, from the Virgin and Child, the best result for the efficacy of dirt removable was 70 per cent. It should be emphasized that these samples were not only very degraded but also very heavily dirtied; besides the more usual and expected inorganic and carbonaceous particulate, cellulose fibres were also ubiquitously present. These cellulose fibres came, most probably, from the degradation of the cover, and were an unexpected element that provided an additional difficulty, and a new challenge, in cleaning this antique textile. Comparing the results with what was obtained for the wet cleaning, we observed that in the wet cleaning the removal of external dirt particles was more extensive. On the other hand, a severe loss of material was observed, of the order of 50 per cent. These values preclude the use of the wet method for cleaning the garments of the Virgin and Child. The scCO2 cleaning did not physically damage the fibres nor their structure; nor did it promote the loss of material. This is an enormous advantage for cleaning textiles of historic or artistic value. Because of these promising results, we are studying how to improve the cleaning of these particular clothes from Virgin and Child with scCO2, namely the extraction conditions and the possible addition of surfactants different from that already tested, Tergitol®. |
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| ISBN: | ISBN 1-84407-253-3 |
