New materials and technologies for the conservation of the materials of historical monuments and the preventive care

Abstract: The project is aimed at development of new materials and technologies for preservation of cultural heritage objects in Czech Rep., with the main focus at the artefacts from limestone, sandstone, spongilite, at facades´ renderings, wall paintings, sgraffiti, stuccos etc. The newly developed cleaning procedures will enable to remove cautiously but effectively dirt, corrosion products and remnants of earlier conserv. measures. A thorough cleaning of surface of artefacts to be treated is a necessary condit. for and effective consolid. Newly developed materials will ensure a highly stable conserv. of materials of heritage buildings degraded by atmosph. action and biodegradation. Consolidat. will be based on impregnat. of porous inorganic substrate with sols cont. nanopart. based on inorganic oxides and hydroxides, which will secure markedly better mech. properties and higher resistance to weathering than commonly used consolid. agents. A special att. will be devoted to prevent. of surfaces of monuments against atmosph. action, espec. that of water, and their biodegradation by treatment of surfaces with new hydrophobization and biocide agents. Developed surface coatings will minimize retention of microflora and microfauna on surfaces of monuments. Biocide agents will be based on metal nanostruct. modified to ensure a controlled release of active component at an optimum concentr. during a long time. Methods suggest. in the project are based on revolut. develop. in the field of nanomat. and nanotechnol., which is a prerequisite for new approaches in the consolid. of monuments. Newly developed materials will provide a higher effectivness of cleaning, consolid. and preventive treatments at achieving as high friendliness as possible towards the treated artefacts and the environment. It can be expected that developed materials and technol. of conserv. of cultural heritage will be applicable for preserv. of a number of important objects of world cultural heritage.

More information - on web page of project:
http://www.jh-inst.cas.cz/nanocentrum/detail.php?p=32