A Short Overview of Recent Developments in the Application of Polymeric Materials for the Conservation of Stone Cultural Heritage Elements

Abstract

Stones are ones of the most ancient natural materials exploited by humans, with different uses, from tools to buildings, that have endured over time in better conditions than other objects belonging to cultural heritage. Given the importance of those silent witnesses of our past, as well as our duty to preserve all parts of cultural heritage for future generations, much effort was put into the development of materials for their consolidation, protection, self-cleaning, or restoration. Protection of ancient stone monuments and objects has gained the interest of researchers in the last decades in the field of conservation of cultural heritage. In this respect, the present paper aims to be a critical discussion regarding potential polymeric materials, which can be used in restorative and conservative approaches for stone materials of cultural heritage importance, against physical degradation phenomena. Recent advances in this area are presented, as well as the current bottle-necks and future development perspectives.

Present Status and Perspectives of Graphene and Graphene‐related Materials in Cultural Heritage

“…Cultural heritage features a wide variety of stone-based materials, both natural and man-made, which may suffer from deterioration due to physical and chemical weathering, biodeterioration, and anthropic deterioration (e.g., pollution, vandalism, climate change). [128][129][130] The prolonged exposure of monuments made of sedimentary stones (e.g., limestone and dolomite) to weathering and harsh environmental conditions, like intense rainfall and extreme temperature changes, brings about tremendous consequences. To tackle this problem, a controlled application of aqueous GO coatings has been proposed to shield these vulnerable surfaces.…”

“…Cultural heritage features a wide variety of stone‐based materials, both natural and man‐made, which may suffer from deterioration due to physical and chemical weathering, biodeterioration, and anthropic deterioration (e.g., pollution, vandalism, climate change). [ 128–130 ]…”

“…Along with oxidation and hydration, these mechanisms affect the structural integrity of the substrate. [ 128 ] These deterioration phenomena might possibly be limited by the application of graphene or GO, thanks to their gas impermeability, which facilitates the streaming away of rainwater down the stone surface.…”

Consolidation of Stone Materials by Organic and Hybrid Polymers: An Overview

“…It is well‐known that natural agents including temperature changes, wind (and particles embedded in), and water can promote physical deterioration phenomena in any stone material. [ 15 ] In particular, very frequently, the combined effects provided by such natural agents result in the so‐called surface erosion of the stone materials, i.e., the progressive removal of their surface layers. This degradation process can be further promoted because of the presence of water that, according to a freeze/thaw mechanism, promotes the swelling/shrinkage of the stone material ( Figure ), leading to the formation of cracks as well as the occurrence of other surface degradation phenomena such as contour scaling (i.e., detachment of mm‐ to cm‐thick surface layers following the contour of stone surface features), delamination (i.e., detachment of multiple thin stone layers sub‐parallel to the stone surface), surface flaking and scaling (i.e., detachment of sub‐mm to mm‐thick surface layers totally independent of the stone structure, Figure ).…”

Polyelectrolyte Coatings—A Viable Approach for Cultural Heritage Protection

“…The most recent trends in the area of inorganic and organic materials for the conservation of different types of cultural heritage objects were recently reviewed by our group [ 10 , 11 ]. However, among the several polymer classes, the polyelectrolytes occupy a particular position.…”