Performance Study of Graphene Oxide as an Antierosion Coating for Ornamental and Heritage Dolostone

Abstract

Concern for the perpetuation of stone monuments is deeply ingrained in humans; however, despite the attempts made in this field, there is still a great deal of effort needed to bring about advancements in the conservation of ornamental stone. Erosive agents, such as rain, extreme temperatures, and chemical and biological agents, threaten our stone heritage and gradually wear away buildings, sculptures, and other monuments found all around the world. Limestone and dolostone have been widely used throughout history, given their ease of extraction and workability. Nevertheless, these properties make them particularly vulnerable to the aforementioned erosive agents, for which the main solution at present is costly and time‐consuming restoration. Given the scarcity of effective and durable agents to prevent the deterioration of ornamental and heritage stones, and as graphene oxide (GO) has recently shown impressive effectiveness for this task, this work will further explore the viability of GO as a protective coating for monumental dolostone. For this purpose, GO is sprayed over dolostone surfaces by water dispersion with no adjuvants. The coating performance is assessed in terms of thermal stress, optical inspection (structured light 3D scanner), colorimetry, leachate analysis, and electron microscopy. The main results show that spray‐coated GO over stone surfaces creates a highly protective and durable barrier without altering their aesthetic qualities.

Adaptation of a Standard Method for Water Absorption Testing of Stone Materials: The Case of a Hydrophilic Protective Coating

“…The protective nanomaterial we chose for the present study was GO, due to its demonstrated efficacy in the field of stone surface protection and in cultural heritage [ 12 , 38 ]. This coating creates a hydrophilic surface protection which, in turn, acts as a molecular sieve for water when in the form of droplets, as in the case of torrential rain simulations [ 12 , 39 ].…”

Performance of graphene oxide as a water-repellent coating nanomaterial to extend the service life of concrete structures

“…This problem, together with the high cost of nanoparticles compared to the rest of the concrete components, have led this study to focus on the use of nanomaterials as a surface treatment. And the GO nanosheets have been recognized as a very effective protective agent for carbonated stones [ 35 ], similarly process may occur on concrete. In the study conducted, graphene-based nanostructures have been used as potential agents to develop a protective treatment for concrete structures.…”