SEM, FTIR and DSC Investigation of Collagen Hydrolysate Treated Degraded Leather

Abstract

Abstract It is essential to establish an appropriate conservation method to reduce the deterioration of leather-made artifact and extend its lifetime. The restoration and consolidation of historic leather have always been a challenge for conservators. This paper discussed the new conservation treatment by applying skin collagen hydrolysate as the consolidation material while glutaraldehyde and tannin as cross-linking agents onto the degraded leather. The fresh leather samples were artificially aged to simulate the deterioration of historical leather. Then the simulated samples were treated with the skin collagen hydrolysate and cross linked by glutaraldehyde and tannin to improve the collagen fiber structures and thermal stability. The analytical approaches combining Ultra-depth three-dimensional Microscope, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) were undertaken to identify the significant differences of the collagen fiber structures and thermal stability between untreated and treated leather samples. The results indicated that the thermal stability and the fibers cohesion of the treated sample were improved. It overall confirmed the use of the skin collagen hydrolysate isan effective consolidation strategy for the degraded leather.