Acrysol WS-24

I have been using Acrysol WS-24 acrylic colloidal dispersion
(manufactured by Rohm & Haas, supplied by Conservation Materials,
Sparks, Nevada, USA) for consolidation of waterlogged artifacts,
mainly glass, bone and ceramics, from a marine environment. I have
had mixed results and wonder what kind of experiences others have
had with this consolidant. I have seen only a handful of articles
about its use, on bone and glass, and its potential use for amber.
If anyone would like to share their experiences with using Acrysol
WS-24, I would be most grateful. I have posed a series of questions
to prompt comments. I will be happy to correspond with anyone to
discuss things in more detail.

    When did you first use Acrysol WS-24 and what prompted you to
    use it?  Do you use it regularly?

    Why do you choose Acrysol WS-24 over another product?

    Have you performed any compositional analyses or aging tests on
    Acrysol, or are you aware of any such studies?

    Have you heard of any disadvantages of using Acrysol WS-24?

    Can you describe the specific ways you use Acrysol, noting type
    and source of materials (e.g., waterlogged shipwreck glass
    beads, decorative building plaster, damp archaeological
    earthenware sherds), method of application (e.g., immersion,
    injection, brushing), length of treatment, and dilution of
    Acrysol stock solution.

    Do you reuse diluted solutions?

    If you consolidate an object by immersion, do you cover the
    container to reduce air contact?

    Have you experienced any problems with Acrysol WS-24 such as:

    *   Increase or decrease of pH of solution during treatment?

    *   Increase or decrease of pH of stock solution on the shelf?

    *   Growth of mold in solution during treatment?

    *   Development of bad odor of solution?

    *   Poor consolidation, requiring retreatment?

    *   Change in color of solution during treatment?

    *   Change in color of stock solution?

    Are any of these problems associated with particular material
    types only (e.g., organics, glass)?

Thank you for any comments,

Claire Peachey
Institute of Nautical Archaeology
Sualti Sokak No. 2
Bodrum, Turkey
Fax: +90 252 316 0506

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 10:95
                 Distributed: Wednesday, April 30, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-10-95-002
                                  ***