A Preliminary Investigation into the Effect of Self-Adhesive Ultraviolet-Absorbing Films on Window Glass

The effects of self-adhesive ultraviolet absorbing films on historic window glass are examined. UV-absorbing filters have been applied to historic window glass since the 1960s, but there is little information on their potentially damaging effects on the glass. UV-absorbing filters were applied to samples of historic window glass and artificially aged. Physical and chemical changes to the glass and filter were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (tof-SIMS). SEM has shown that float glass is not damaged by the application and removal of UV-absorbing filters. XPS has shown indications of the transfer of glass onto the filter from older glass samples. Initial tof-SIMS results from the older glasses have shown some variations in elemental depth profiles following UV exposure.