Nanomatch: A European Project to Develop Consolidants through the Synthesis of New Inorganic Nanomaterials for the Conservation of Built Heritage

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The problem of deterioration of historical building materials, namely stone, wood and glass has become more and more urgent. Climate changes have increased the impact of natural decay whilst socio-economic requirements claim a more sustainable use of existing built heritage. The EU project NANOMATCH addresses this problem through the development of a family of innovative materials. These are specifically designed for the consolidation requirements of historical substrates and for the production of high performance products to fill the gap in the market dedicated to the conservation of built heritage. Metal-alkoxide precursors will be synthesized and their properties will be tuned based on the substrate characteristics of respectively stone, wood, glass to fulfil specific functionalities. The consolidation effects will be first evaluated through lab experimentation and subsequently the most suitable metal alkoxides will be tested in different European sites to evaluate also the environmental effects on their performance This will lead to a new generation of nano-products specifically tailored for historic materials in a context of climate change, emerging from the most recent and advanced research in the fields of conservation science and nanotechnologies.

Aesthetic compatibility assessment of consolidants for wall paintings by means of multivariate analysis of colorimetric data

“…During the European Project Nanomatch [14] two calcium alkoxides, (Ca(OTHF) 2 and Ca(OEt) 2 ), were developed and tested as new consolidants for stone and stone-like substrates as well as alkaline reservoir for wood. Their performance as consolidants for indoor and outdoor applications on wall paintings was evaluated both in laboratory and in the field in comparison with commercial products and the results published in recent papers [15, 16].…”

Penetration Coefficients of Commercial Nanolimes and a Liquid Mineral Precursor for Pore-Imitating Test Systems—Predictability of Infiltration Behavior

“…Examples include the remineralization of carious lesions in dental applications [ 2 , 6 ] and restorative treatments of cultural heritage [ 7 ]. While sealing teeth surfaces and pores have proven effective to slow down tooth decay [ 2 , 8 ], sealing stone surfaces with polymers was found to be largely detrimental to their conservation, which is why the development and optimization of new compatible inorganic treatments for stone consolidation are needed [ 5 , 9 ]. A promising material class for this purpose is nanolimes (NL), i.e., nano-scaled calcium hydroxide particle dispersions in alcohol [ 10 , 11 , 12 ].…”