Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles and Polyethylene Glycol Treatment of Historical Leather: Mechanical Properties

Abstract

Historical leather objects are at risk of deterioration through mechanical stress such as viscoelastic and plastic deformation as well as natural aging erosion. So, it was expected that appropriate leather treatment should improve their mechanical properties. For this purpose, the mechanical behavior of goat historical leather treated with hydroxyapatite (HA) and polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400) was studied and compared with the mechanical properties of untreated sample (control). The samples were subjected to a dynamic tensile stress by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) as well as static stress by tensile test. In addition, the treatment effects on the leather mechanical properties were investigated after accelerating aging test. It was shown that treated sample exhibited more softness, better mechanical properties and less structural changes than the untreated sample. The Scanning Electron Microscopy studies show uniform distribution of nanoparticles in the leather matrix as well as the nano hydroxyapatite particles, which are placed between collagen fibers.