Experimental Study on the Application of Electrospinning Technology in the Conservation of Ancient Silk Textiles

Excavated silk textiles are highly deteriorated protein-based artifacts, with consolidation facing long-standing challenges of poor compatibility and insufficient reversibility. To develop a mild and characterizable consolidation system, this study introduced electrospinning technology to prepare silk fibroin (SF)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite nanofiber membranes, optimized via glycerol modification. The optimal formulation (SF:PVA = 3:7, 2 mL glycerol, appropriate ethanol) and process parameters (20 kV voltage, 0.5 mL/h flow rate, 12 cm tip-to-collector distance) yielded dense, uniformly distributed nanofibers. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed good fiber continuity without bead defects, while Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy verified intact silk fibroin structure and enhanced hydrogen bonding (no adverse functional groups). Tensile tests showed significantly improved breaking strength and elongation of aged silk after coating, with the 3-hour deposition sample exhibiting the greatest enhancement. Peel tests revealed a maximum peel force ≤ 0.3 N, enabling gentle whole-membrane removal. This glycerol-modified SF/PVA electrospun membrane achieves effective surface consolidation with minimal intervention, good compatibility, and reversibility, providing a feasible paradigm for silk textile relic conservation and laying a methodological foundation for spectroscopic evaluation systems. Fragile silk relics often suffer from poor compatibility and irreversible damage when using traditional consolidation methods. We developed a new reversible method using electrospinning technology to prepare SF/PVA composite nanofiber membranes with glycerol modification. The thin, transparent membrane significantly improves the mechanical strength of aged silk while maintaining its flexibility. Importantly, it can be gently peeled off from the relic surface without causing damage (maximum peel force ≤ 0.3 N), meeting the "minimum intervention" principle of cultural heritage conservation. This study offers a safe and effective solution for protecting fragile silk textiles, with potential application in the conservation of other organic cultural relics.