A study of thermo-physical processes of cleaning of leather objects with the irradiation of repetitively-pulsed fibre laser

Neelova A.D., Lepekhina T.K., Dias S., Zhurba D.V., Parfenov, V.A.

For Russian citation (Opticheskii Zhurnal):

Неелова А.Д., Лепехина Т.К., Султанулы Д., Журба Д.В., Парфенов В.А. Исследование теплофизических процессов при очистке изделий из кожи излучением импульсно-периодического волоконного лазера // Оптический журнал. 2026. Т. 93 № 4. С. 101–110. http://doi.org/10.17586/1023-5086-2026-93-04-101-110

Neelova A.D., Lepekhina T.K., Sultanuly D., Zhurba D.V., Parfenov V.A. A study of thermo-physical processes of cleaning of leather objects with the irradiation of repetitivelypulsed fibre laser [in Russian] // Opticheskii Zhurnal. 2026. V. 93. № 4. P. 101–110. http://doi.org/10.17586/1023-5086-2026-93-04-101-110

For citation (Journal of Optical Technology):

Abstract:

Subject of study. Thermal processes during laser cleaning of leather objects with a pulsed ytterbium fibre laser with a wavelength of 1.064 μm. Aim of study. Model-based analysis of thermal processes in leather under laser irradiance. Experimental measurement of temperature in the laser cleaning area of leather objects. Method. Modelling was performed using COMSOL Multiphysics software. For laser cleaning ytterbium pulsed laser system with the wavelength of 1,064 μm was used. Temperature measurement in the cleaning area was performed by thermal imagery device. Main results. It is shown that during laser cleaning of leather from contaminations at the following laser output parameters: an average power density of 3×105 W/сm2, a pulse repetition rate of 20 kHz and a pulse duration of 100 ns, as well as a laser beam scanning speed of 800 mm/s and a filling area of 40 lines/mm, the leather surface temperature increases by no more than 20 K on average. At the same time, the use of wet laser cleaning reduces the thermal load on the skin by an average of 20 K. Practical significance. The results obtained in the work can be used to develop a technology for laser cleaning of historical monuments made of leather.

Keywords:

laser cleaning, restoration, leather, cultural heritage, thermoablation, infrared laser

OCIS codes: 350.3390; 140.3070

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