Abstract
The combination of multiple physical, chemical and biological factors causes the weathering of limestone used in the field of cultural heritage. To overcome the limitations of traditional consolidating products and to meet the requirements of the historical building substrates, during the European collaborative project NANOMATCH, alkaline earth alkoxides were developed and studied as consolidating agents for limestone. Among these new products, calcium ethoxide, with the formula Ca(OEt)2, was chosen for this study and investigated in depth as an alternative consolidating treatment. It was first characterized through a study of the carbonation process: its kinetics, reaction pathway and the evaluation of formed mineralogical phases. Subsequently, it was applied on limestones with different total open porosity to test its performance as a consolidating agent. The compatibility and the efficiency of the treatment were investigated with a multi-technique approach and compared with results obtained with a reference product, based on nanolime. This study indicates that calcium ethoxide shows better results with respect to the reference product, both in terms of compatibility and consolidation effect.
Highlights
The constant exposure of limestone to several weathering factors, combined with their compositional and textural characteristics causes an increase in porosity and a loss of material cohesion.Today, the knowledge acquired about the deterioration processes has promoted the improvement of stone cohesion and adhesion and the preservation of buildings and decorative surfaces of architectural monuments through consolidation interventions
After six hours (Figure 1c), only peaks related to amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) are present: 1406–1480 cm−1, 1060 cm−1 and 864 cm−1 [24,25,26]
An investigation of a new conservation product, calcium ethoxide, specific for limestones, was carried out, and its efficiency and compatibility as a consolidating agent were limestones, was carried out, and its efficiency and compatibility as a consolidating agent were compared with a reference treatment, CaLoSil E50
Summary
The constant exposure of limestone to several weathering factors (e.g., atmospheric pollution [1,2], freeze-thaw cycles [3], salt crystallization [4] and biological colonization [5]), combined with their compositional and textural characteristics causes an increase in porosity and a loss of material cohesion.Today, the knowledge acquired about the deterioration processes has promoted the improvement of stone cohesion and adhesion and the preservation of buildings and decorative surfaces of architectural monuments through consolidation interventions. The constant exposure of limestone to several weathering factors (e.g., atmospheric pollution [1,2], freeze-thaw cycles [3], salt crystallization [4] and biological colonization [5]), combined with their compositional and textural characteristics causes an increase in porosity and a loss of material cohesion. During the EU-Project NANOMATCH (nano-systems for the conservation of immoveable and moveable polymaterial cultural heritage in a changing environment FP7/2007-2013, Grant Agreement No 283182), new conservation products, calcium alkoxides, were developed and studied. They are innovative conservation products to consolidate carbonate stones and wall paintings.
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