Nanomaterials Used in Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage: An Up-to-Date Overview.

Lorena Iancu,Elena Ramona Andrei,Ramona Marina Grigorescu,Madalina Elena David,Rodica-Mariana Ion

doi:10.3390/ma13092064

Abstract

In the last few years, the preservation of cultural heritage has become an important issue globally, due to the fact that artifacts and monuments are continually threatened by degradation. It is thus very important to find adequate consolidators that are capable of saving and maintaining the natural aspect of these objects. This study aims to provide an updated survey of the main nanomaterials used for the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage. In the last few years, besides the classic nanomaterials used in this field, such as metal nanoparticles (copper and silver) and metal oxides (zinc and aluminum), hydroxyapatite and carbonated derivatives, tubular nanomaterials (such as carbon nanotubes) have been used as a potential consolidate material of cultural heritage. Tubular nanomaterials have attracted attention for use in different fields due to their structures, as well as their ability to present multiple walls. These nanotubes have the necessary properties in preserving cultural heritage, such as superior mechanical and elastic strength (even higher than steel), high hydrophobicity (with a contact angle up to 140°), optical properties (high photodegradation protection), large specific surface area (from 50 to 1315 m2/g, depending on the number of walls) for absorption of other nanomaterials and relatively good biocompatibility.

Highlights

The preservation of cultural heritage is essential for humanity to maintain the history of mankind, as well as the authenticity of artifacts and constructions
In the last few decades, the conservation of cultural heritage has become a topic of interest worldwide, due to the need to preserve the authenticity of artifacts and constructions, as well as the history of mankind
Wood materials are constantly subject to several serious degradation factors, such as biological or chemical degradation, which more or less affect the structural integrity and mechanical strength of these materials

Summary

Introduction

The preservation of cultural heritage is essential for humanity to maintain the history of mankind, as well as the authenticity of artifacts and constructions. An artifact represents any object created or modified by humans bearing historical value. An artifact is an object recovered by archaeological methods which may have a cultural interest. These artifacts are continually threatened by degradation factors. Stone, paper and wood artifacts are constantly subject to several serious degradation factors, such as biological or chemical degradation, which affect more or less the structural integrity and mechanical strength of these materials [1,2,3,4]. Nanomaterials (1–100 nm) with higher surface areas than similar larger-scale materials have the possibility to penetrate deep into the damaged artifacts due to their particle size [5]

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