Laser cleaning of textile artifacts with metal threads: Process parameter optimization

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the laser cleaning effects on textile samples with corroded metallic threads. In many museum collections, there are textile exhibits like uniforms, national costumes, flags and home textile, embroidered with metallic threads. Corrosion of metal threads is one of the most common problems that damage embroidered items. In the practice, the application of conventional cleaning methods rarely gives the expected results, and the implementation of laser technology was the next step for corrosion products cleaning. The Nd: YAG laser was used to clean the corrosion of embroidered items from a museum study collection. The effects on the laser irradiated zones were investigated by optical and SEM microscopy and the EDX analysis. The laser irradiation process parameters of the metal threads corrosion.

Keywords

• textile
• textile material
• uniform
• metal thread
• corrosion
• corrosion cleaning
• laser application