Project title: The Mechanical Properties of Polymers for Gap-Filling in Conservation of Furniture 

Supervisors: Dr Ambrose Taylor, Shayne Rivers

The conservation of wooden furniture is a more challenging feat than expected because wood absorbs moisture from its environment. This means that any crack or gap in the wood will expand and contract due to changes of humidity. The aim of this project is to test the suitability of polymer Lascaux 303 HV as a gap filler in wooden furniture that needs to be conserved. The objectives of this project include manufacturing and testing Lascaux 498 HV and 303 HV (modified) samples in tension and compression, thereby concluding if they are a suitable replacement for epoxy as a gap filler. The microstructure will be optimised and identified using microscopy. The results will be compared to analytical models, and finally recommendations will be made to the most suitable fill recipes.