Diasec
Encyclopedia
Diasec is a patent
ed process used for facemounting prints like photographs on acrylic glass. The process was invented by Heinz Sovilla-Brulhart in 1969.
Because of the different light penetration and refraction
of acrylic glass compared to normal glass, the colours are more brilliant and the image sharper than compared to standard glass in a picture frame. A Diasec mount is usually of a high gloss finish. Because the print is glued to the acrylic glass, the result is a completely flat mount of the image.
The print is also resistant to ultraviolet
(UV) light because of the properties of acrylic glass. There are other processes to achieve similar results, these are in the photographic or art world sometimes also called Diasec prints. Diasec is however a registered trademark.
Normally the print is placed on a carrier at the backside. This is usually dibond
, a composite plate of aluminium and plastic. Aluminium or other materials are also possible. If the print has to be backlit, translucent materials are necessary.
mounted "99 Cent II Diptychon
", the most expensive photograph ever, on acrylic glass, probably with the Diasec process.
The Diasec process is sometimes used for billboard
s.
The term Diasec is protected by copyright and the service is only available through authorised suppliers.
Diasec was the first system that allowed photographs to be bonded directly and permanently to Acrylic sheet.
Diasec panels are backed with Aluminium, reinforcing the rigidity of the finished picture and sealing the artwork from both sides .
The Aluminium back also enables the attachment of sub-frames that allow the artwork to hang on the wall without a traditional picture frame.
The component ingredients and the process of Diasec are patented and used under Licence.
Diasec uses a primer and liquid gel, not sheet film adhesive. The biggest advantage of this is that air bubbles and creases in the final product are minimized. You are not limited to adhesive film sheet size and there are fewer complications with large format images.
The Diasec gel is neutral curing and has an inbuilt Ultra violet filter. It contains no plasticizers and is resistant to fungicidal, bacterial agents, and air-bourne pollutants. After curing the whole airtight panel remains chemically inert and stable. The finished product remains flexible, enabling it to withstand changes in temperature and humidity, which affect works on paper. However, the process is irreversible and if the acrylic glass is damaged there is no way to salvage the print.
Diasec samples that were made in the 1970s show negligible colour shift, the whites are still pure and there is no evidence of acid erosion visible.
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
ed process used for facemounting prints like photographs on acrylic glass. The process was invented by Heinz Sovilla-Brulhart in 1969.
Because of the different light penetration and refraction
Refraction
Refraction is the change in direction of a wave due to a change in its speed. It is essentially a surface phenomenon . The phenomenon is mainly in governance to the law of conservation of energy. The proper explanation would be that due to change of medium, the phase velocity of the wave is changed...
of acrylic glass compared to normal glass, the colours are more brilliant and the image sharper than compared to standard glass in a picture frame. A Diasec mount is usually of a high gloss finish. Because the print is glued to the acrylic glass, the result is a completely flat mount of the image.
The print is also resistant to ultraviolet
Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays, in the range 10 nm to 400 nm, and energies from 3 eV to 124 eV...
(UV) light because of the properties of acrylic glass. There are other processes to achieve similar results, these are in the photographic or art world sometimes also called Diasec prints. Diasec is however a registered trademark.
Process
The whole process is dedicated to mounting the print without air bubbles or smears. The image is face mounted and bonded to the acrylic glass with a silicone sealant. The silicone sealant, which has a consistency of a gel, acts as a glue between the print and the acrylic glass.Normally the print is placed on a carrier at the backside. This is usually dibond
Dibond
Dibond is a brand of rigid substrates in the Aluminum Composite Material category. The brand is owned and manufactured by 3A Composites. Like all ACMs, Dibond is a compound material made up of multiple constituent parts. Dibond consists of two 0.012" aluminum faces thermobonded to a solid...
, a composite plate of aluminium and plastic. Aluminium or other materials are also possible. If the print has to be backlit, translucent materials are necessary.
Uses
The Diasec prints are used by some photographers to present their work. Andreas GurskyAndreas Gursky
Andreas Gursky is a German visual artist known for his enormous architecture and landscape color photographs, often employing a high point of view...
mounted "99 Cent II Diptychon
99 Cent II Diptychon
The artwork 99 Cent II Diptychon from 2001 is a two part photograph made by Andreas Gursky probably in 1999, as the work is sometimes called "99 cent.1999"....
", the most expensive photograph ever, on acrylic glass, probably with the Diasec process.
The Diasec process is sometimes used for billboard
Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s.
The term Diasec is protected by copyright and the service is only available through authorised suppliers.
Diasec was the first system that allowed photographs to be bonded directly and permanently to Acrylic sheet.
Diasec panels are backed with Aluminium, reinforcing the rigidity of the finished picture and sealing the artwork from both sides .
The Aluminium back also enables the attachment of sub-frames that allow the artwork to hang on the wall without a traditional picture frame.
The component ingredients and the process of Diasec are patented and used under Licence.
Diasec uses a primer and liquid gel, not sheet film adhesive. The biggest advantage of this is that air bubbles and creases in the final product are minimized. You are not limited to adhesive film sheet size and there are fewer complications with large format images.
The Diasec gel is neutral curing and has an inbuilt Ultra violet filter. It contains no plasticizers and is resistant to fungicidal, bacterial agents, and air-bourne pollutants. After curing the whole airtight panel remains chemically inert and stable. The finished product remains flexible, enabling it to withstand changes in temperature and humidity, which affect works on paper. However, the process is irreversible and if the acrylic glass is damaged there is no way to salvage the print.
Diasec samples that were made in the 1970s show negligible colour shift, the whites are still pure and there is no evidence of acid erosion visible.