PUR Facts

Flexible Polyurethane (PUR) foams, in use[-]since the 1950s and familiar from furniture[-]upholstery and other domestic textiles,[-]can be found in museum collections in[-]numerous art and design objects. However,[-]these exhibits pose severe conservation[-]problems due to the ageing of the foam[-]c [...]
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Flexible Polyurethane (PUR) foams, in use[-]since the 1950s and familiar from furniture[-]upholstery and other domestic textiles,[-]can be found in museum collections in[-]numerous art and design objects. However,[-]these exhibits pose severe conservation[-]problems due to the ageing of the foam[-]caused by photo-oxidation, leading to[-]discoloration, loss of strength and fl exibility,[-]and fi nally the crumbling of the[-]object. This defi nitive work outlines the[-]most up-to-date methods of restoring[-]fl exibility of older foams and protecting new foams from degradation by coating[-]them with stabilising systems acting[-]effectively as a 'sunblock'. The author, an[-]experienced conservator, describes the[-]research involved in developing the new[-]methods and their impact on the visual,[-]textural and chemical properties of treated[-]PUR foams. One of the chapters details the[-]preparation and application of the light[-]stabilizing system to PUR foams.