Enhancing the mechanical features of clay surfaces by the absorption of nano-SiO2 particles in aqueous media. Case of study on Bronze Age clay objects

Abstract

Nanoparticles are known to be able to enhance the performance of low dense materials, achieving the small intergranular spaces to further interact with the matrix. In this work, a consolidation treatment of an ancient clay material is reported. It is based on the use of silica nanoparticles dispersed in an aqueous medium as a more sustainable approach than those currently used in the conservation field. The effective consolidation has been determined by ensuring an appropriate mechanical surface resistance using the nanoindentation technique as non-destructive measurements. Moreover, the ability of SiO2 nanoparticles to fill the microstructure is studied by scanning electron microscopy. As a case report, several low-strength clay fragments dated from the Bronze Age were surface treated with a commercial aqueous suspension of SiO2 nanoparticles that were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) displaying dimensions of about 20 nm in diameter. Field Emission Electron Microscopy (FESEM) revealed that nanoparticles filled the inter-granular spaces of the clay, leading to a nanostructured material. The nanoindentation results showed an increase in surface resistance against scratching. Meanwhile, the nanohardness and elastic modulus increased 10 times (from 15 to 150 MPa) and 8 times (from 1 to 8 GPa), respectively due to the nanoSiO2 treatment, confirming the consolidation effect of the nanoparticles.