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.

thea van oosten is a senior conservationscientist at the Netherlands Institutefor Cultural Heritage Agency of theNetherlands (RCE).

Preface
Introduction

1. Polyurethanes, manufacture and applications
2. Chemistry, properties and degradation
3. History of polyurethane foam conservation
4 Ageing behavior of polyurethane foam
    Materials and methods
    Consolidation of polyurethane foam
    Sun Block for polyurethane ether foam
5. Assessing the condition of polyurethane foam
    Condition of polyurethane ester and ether foam
    Condition of polyurethane foam of works of art and design objects
    Instruction for the consolidation of new and aged polyurethane ether foam
6. Case studies
    Zuccaia (1991) by Piero Gilardi: The adventurous consolidation of a polyurethane ether foam Nature Carpet by Aleth Lorne
    Sassi (1972) by Piero Gilardi: Restoration project carried out by the Barbara Ferriani Conservation Studio, Milan

Acknowledgements
Glossary
General information
Bibliography