Diasec

The following is posted on behalf of Calvin Winner

    Over the last five years the Tate Gallery has made a number of
    colour photograph acquisitions which incorporate a process of
    'face mounting', known commercially as Diasec. This seems to be
    a popular way of handling large c-prints as it not only holds
    the photograph flat but also provides glazing. The process
    basically consists of bonding the photographic emulsion to the
    surface of perspex/acrylic using a clear film forming adhesive,
    which I guess is silicone based. The examples I have seem have
    been very well produced with minimal visual effect on the image,
    however, as the perspex is vulnerable to scratching this clarity
    may diminish over the years. I imagine the process evolved
    commercially for the advertising industry and therefore
    longevity was never an issue, although if the adhesive proves to
    be archival quality the diasec process may last as long as the
    photograph itself! I would be interested to hear from anyone who
    may have information on this process and particularly on whether
    it may reduce the fading of colour photographs and of course
    reversibility.

    Calvin Winner
    Conservator, Tate Gallery, London
    calvin.winner [at] tate__org__uk

Jo Crook

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:92
                  Distributed: Thursday, May 14, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-11-92-021
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