Polyolefin-Supported Hydrogels for Selective Cleaning Treatments of Paintings

Abstract

Surface decontamination is of general concern in many technical fields including optics, electronics, medical environments, as well as art conservation. In this respect, we developed thin copolymer networks covalently bonded to flexible polyethylene (PE) sheets for hydrogel-based cleaning of varnished paintings. The syntheses of acrylates and methacrylates of the surfactants Triton X-100, Brij 35, and Ecosurf EH-3 or EH-9 and their incorporation into copolymers with acrylamide (PAM) and N-(4-benzoylphenyl)acrylamide are reported. Photocrosslinked polymer networks were prepared from these copolymers on corona-treated PE sheets, which can be swollen with aqueous solution to form hydrogel layers. The cleaning efficacy of these PE-PAM hydrogel systems, when swollen with appropriate cleaning solutions, was evaluated on painting surfaces in dependence of the PAM copolymer composition and degree of crosslinking. Specifically, soil and varnish removal and varnish surface solubilization were assessed on mock-ups as well as on paintings, indicating that even surfactant-free cleaning solutions were effective.

Surface Properties of Graffiti Coatings on Sensitive Surfaces Concerning Their Removal with Formulations Based on the Amino-Acid-Type Surfactants

“…To maintain the integrity of the nanoemulsion formed during the high-pressure homogenization, a variety of commercially available, mild, and environmentally friendly anionic surfactants of the amino-acid-type (AAS) were chosen and utilized (their structures and abbreviations are shown in Table 1 ). Currently, there are only a few studies [ 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ] that examine the possibility of using AAS to manufacture nanostructured fluids (NFs) to be used as graffiti cleaners. One of the criteria for selecting a suitable AAS was the presence of a glycine molecule or its direct analog in the structure of the amino acid composing the AAS.…”

Reproducing bronze archaeological patinas through intentional burial: A comparison between short- and long-term interactions with soil

“…To overcome the drawbacks related to traditional cleaning methods, especially the uncontrolled spreading of solvents on the artifacts’ surface and their environmental release by evaporation, novel conservation materials based on retentive matrices, able to avoid solvent dispersion and to confine the cleaning action to localized surface areas, were developed. These systems were successfully used for cleaning paintings [ 15 , 16 ], street art works [ 17 ], stone monuments [ 18 ] and paper substrates [ 19 ]. Some interesting results were also obtained for the cleaning of metal artifacts from corrosion compounds.…”