| Three interrelated studies describe the effects and determine the relative importance of factors influencing the adequacy of the adhesive bond in textile artifact/adhesive/support fabric laminates. The first study examined the bond through peel testing. Fabric laminates consisting of silk habutae or nylon taffeta artifacts, one of six adhesives, (Acryloid F10, Beva 371, Clariant T1601, Dur-O-Set E150, Lascaux 360/498 HV, or Vinamul 3252) and a support fabric (nylon net, polyester crepeline, or silk crepeline) were peeled at a rate of 50 mm min-1 in a controlled environment of 20 +/- 2°C and 65 +/- 5% RH. The transfer of adhesive to the artifact fabric during peeling was observed visually and through scanning electron microscopy. The peel strength of the adhesives varied significantly according to the surface area of adhesive available for bonding and the mechanical properties of the adhesives. Bonds to silk habutae were stronger than bonds to nylon taffeta. Laminates supported on nylon net had weaker bonds than those supported on silk or polyester crepeline. The second study determined the surface free energy components of adhesive films and artifact fabrics in order to estimate work of adhesion between adhesive and fabric surfaces. The contact angles of three probing liquids were determined on the solids using drop shape analysis (adhesive films) and the Washburn technique (fabrics). Surface free energy components and work of adhesion were calculated using the van Oss-Chaudhury-Good approach. Adhesives and fabrics were characterized as predominantly basic, low energy solids. Work of adhesion showed good correlation to peel strength when results for Acryloid F10 were excluded. The third study was an exploratory survey of textile artifacts given adhesive support treatments primarily within the past twenty years. The survey focussed on flat textiles and on adhesives equivalent to those tested in the laboratory. Data describing thirty-six artifacts, their treatment, and subsequent history were collected. The successful stabilization of textile artifacts treated with both weak and strong adhesives demonstrated that for the artifacts surveyed, techniques used to control stress after treatment must contribute to treatment success as much as the bond strength provided by the adhesive. |
