Wood consolidation acrylic

According to Grattan (9), the most common polymers used in solvent-resin consolidant systems are acrylics, poly(vinyl acetates), poly(vinyl butyrals), and soluble nylon. Of these, soluble nylon has since been shown to be unsuitable because it inevitably cross-links and embrittles within as little time as a few weeks (iO). The others are known to have excellent longterm stability (9). Most likely the stability of polymers placed inside the wood may be even better, because they would be protected from light-catalyzed degradation reactions. Possible wood-polymer interactions, however, are unknown at this time. 

Consolidation treatments with soluble resins can be considered reversible in principle, but it has been questioned (i, 9) whether this reversibility would ever be practically feasible. Experiments with an acrylic and a poly(vinyl butyral) consolidant showed that most of the resin could be removed from treated wood, and that the acrylic could be removed more readily than the poly (vinyl butyral) (15). In another study, a consolidation treatment of archaeological wood with Acryloid B72 in toluene could be substantially but not completely extracted again, as evidenced by scanning electron microscopic examination (22). 

Traditional Methods. Traditional approaches to strength and integrity restoration center around consolidation systems. These consist of natural or synthetic resins that are impregnated into the wood. The natural resins are usually waxes or oils. Synthetic resins are either thermosetting (based on epoxy s, polystyrene, or a poly methyl methacrylate) or thermoplastic (such as poly(vinyl acetate)s, poly(vinyl butyral)s, or acrylics). In general, all of these consolidation systems do not penetrate the cell wall because they are not polar enough or because their molecular size is too large. 

OhUdalova, M., Kucerova, I., Novotna, M. (2006). Identification of acrylic consolidants in wood by Raman spectroscopy. Journal cf Raman Spectroscopy, 37(10), 1179-1185. 

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