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Characterization of historic silk by polarized attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for informed conservation

Characterization of historic silk by polarized attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for informed conservation
Characterization of historic silk by polarized attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for informed conservation
When assessing historic textiles and considering appropriate conservation, display and storage strategies, characterising the physical condition of the textiles is essential. Our work has concentrated on developing non-destructive or micro-destructive methodologies that will permit this. Previously, we have demonstrated a correlation between the physical deterioration of unweighted and ‘pink’ tin IV chloride weighted silk and certain measurable spectroscopic and chromatographic signatures, derived from polarised FTIR-ATR spectroscopy (Pol-ATR) and HPLC microsampling analyses. The application of the Pol-ATR technique to aged silk characterisation has now been extended to include a more comprehensive range of weighting methods and ageing regimes. This was intended to replicate the full spectrum of states of deterioration observed in silk textiles, from pristine to heavily degraded. Breaking strength was employed as a measure of the physical integrity of the fibres, and, as expected, decreased with ageing. An orientational crystallinity parameter, reflecting the microstructural ordering of the fibroin polymer within the fibres, was derived from the Pol-ATR spectra. A good correlation was observed between the breaking strength of the variety of fibres and this parameter. This suggests that the physical state of historic silk fabrics might be adequately characterised for conservation purposes by such indirect micromethodology.
polarised infrared spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance (ATR), crystallite orientation, silk, degradation, conservation
0003-7028
1242-1247
Garside, Paul
58b3f896-8e10-4516-af7d-2aa7c106c517
Lahlil, Sophia
472ea973-b748-4561-90c3-178437948af8
Wyeth, Paul
1ec102cc-ce1c-4b58-81dd-a8a33b559081
Garside, Paul
58b3f896-8e10-4516-af7d-2aa7c106c517
Lahlil, Sophia
472ea973-b748-4561-90c3-178437948af8
Wyeth, Paul
1ec102cc-ce1c-4b58-81dd-a8a33b559081

Garside, Paul, Lahlil, Sophia and Wyeth, Paul (2005) Characterization of historic silk by polarized attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for informed conservation. Applied Spectroscopy, 59 (10), 1242-1247. (doi:10.1366/000370205774430855).

Record type: Article

Abstract

When assessing historic textiles and considering appropriate conservation, display and storage strategies, characterising the physical condition of the textiles is essential. Our work has concentrated on developing non-destructive or micro-destructive methodologies that will permit this. Previously, we have demonstrated a correlation between the physical deterioration of unweighted and ‘pink’ tin IV chloride weighted silk and certain measurable spectroscopic and chromatographic signatures, derived from polarised FTIR-ATR spectroscopy (Pol-ATR) and HPLC microsampling analyses. The application of the Pol-ATR technique to aged silk characterisation has now been extended to include a more comprehensive range of weighting methods and ageing regimes. This was intended to replicate the full spectrum of states of deterioration observed in silk textiles, from pristine to heavily degraded. Breaking strength was employed as a measure of the physical integrity of the fibres, and, as expected, decreased with ageing. An orientational crystallinity parameter, reflecting the microstructural ordering of the fibroin polymer within the fibres, was derived from the Pol-ATR spectra. A good correlation was observed between the breaking strength of the variety of fibres and this parameter. This suggests that the physical state of historic silk fabrics might be adequately characterised for conservation purposes by such indirect micromethodology.

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Published date: 2005
Keywords: polarised infrared spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance (ATR), crystallite orientation, silk, degradation, conservation

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 18711
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/18711
ISSN: 0003-7028
PURE UUID: ae099f03-79fb-4d59-834c-ee8b004afadd

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Date deposited: 23 Nov 2005
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 06:07

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Contributors

Author: Paul Garside
Author: Sophia Lahlil
Author: Paul Wyeth

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