Halloysite Nanotubes as Innovative Consolidants for Historical Leather

Abstract

Historical leathers, in a huge variety of items as footwear and garments, bookbinding, wall tapestry, upholstery, harnesses, armours, storage vessels, household tools, cases, musical instruments, toys, ritual objects are regarded as important testimonials of our cultural heritage. It is vital therefore that these objects remain well preserved along with all the knowledge involved, from their material aspects and value use to historical, cultural and artistic values. One of the most difficult challenges in leather conservation concerns with consolidation and pH control. To set up a novel green protocol for the long-term protection of historical and archaeological leather we have investigated the filling and stabilization process of vegetable-tanned leathers treated with various mixtures based on halloysite nanotubes (HNTs).

The effect of halloysite nanotubes dispersions on vegetable-tanned leather thermal stability

“…At macromolecular level, the values of shrinkage temperature T s measured using the standard method SR EN ISO 3380-2003 showed an increase of the hydrothermal stability for all treated samples. This behavior is similar to that we observed in new vegetable tanned leather treated with the same types of dispersions [39]. In terms of shrinking behavior of collagen microfibres, the most important effects were the increase of the T f and T s temperatures and the simultaneous decrease of the ΔC and ΔT intervals ( Table 1 and Fig.…”