The aim of this research work was to conduct a comparative study on the effectiveness of the application of chemical cleaning versus laser cleaning in the removal of surface congruent dissolution products from a potash-lime–silica historical stained-glass sample. EDTA was selected as the chemical cleaning agent. Laser cleaning was performed using a 238 fs pulse UV (343 nm) laser. The comparative cleaning studies were carried out on a stained-glass piece supplied by the Maison Lorin Glass Restoration Workshop from Chartres, France. Given the complex nature, irregular thickness and heterogeneity of the encrustations found on the glass, the two cleaning approaches were carefully performed step by step, while monitoring the process using an optical microscope. Raman spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the changes induced on the sample surface during the cleaning process. The results demonstrate that the two cleaning approaches were able to eliminate the outer surface dark layer associated with carbon compounds, as well as the external part of the white layer generated by the crystallization of salts, formed with the dissolved elements after a reaction with the air. A comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of each method is also presented.

Stained-glass windows play an important role in cultural heritage. Human and environmental factors have subjected these pieces to risks of damage. Mechanical and chemical-based cleaning methods have been used for their restoration and conservation. Additionally, short-pulse lasers have opened new opportunities for safe and controlled cleaning and restoration of these important materials. In this work, ultra-short pulsed lasers were used to clean an artificially applied coating from the surface of a contemporary colorless glass frequently used in the restoration of stained-glass windows. One of the objectives was to explore the applicability of using these types of lasers to safely clean historical stained-glass windows. It was observed that temperature rise and subsequent heat accumulation in the coating layer being removed was sufficient to generate significant thermal stresses on the underlying glass surface leading to damages even when the laser energies are lower than the damage thresholds. Some laser treatments that limit this heat accumulation were designed in this study. For laser systems operating at frequencies in the range of several hundreds of kHz, the option was to work in burst mode, limiting the number of pulses in each burst and selecting an adequate time lapse between two consecutive burst runs. A method to uniformly clean a given surface is proposed in this work. When lower frequencies are available, treatments using frequencies lower than 20 kHz are enough to safely clean the glass. When UV laser radiation is used, optical damage is also an important aspect to be considered. In this case, the cleaning protocol has to deal with both issues, to avoid heat accumulation and chemical damage.

No abstract

Se estudian las vidrieras de la Catedral de Astorga a partir de dos ejemplos representativos: la Aparición de Jesús resucitado a la Virgen María y el Apóstol San Simón (ss. XVI-XVIII). Se realizó su estudio histórico-artístico y el arqueométrico de una selección de fragmentos de vidrio, con el fin de obtener información sobre su tecnología de producción. El estudio arqueométrico consistió en la determinación de la composición química de los vidrios, la caracterización de sus cromóforos y el estudio de las grisallas. Se determinaron distintos tipos de vidrio, lo que permitió establecer su posible cronología, y diversos cromóforos y grisallas de sombreado y de contorno. El análisis crítico de los datos histórico-artísticos y los arqueométricos puso de manifiesto convergencias y divergencias de datación así como restauraciones anteriores que ubicaron fragmentos en posiciones inadecuadas.