Polymeric Micro- and Nanosystems for Wood Artifacts Preservation

Abstract

The complex methods of diagnosis investigation of the wood artifacts state and proper materials for their protection against decay are very important goals in cultural heritage. This chapter focuses on the recent trends in micro-and nanostructured polymer systems for application in cultural heritage and on wood preservation, especially. The synthesis, properties, and applications, as well as the relevant analysis techniques to reveal the structures and properties of polymer systems, are discussed, too. To overcome the specific problems that exist for wood artifacts, some aspects should be treated: effects of the environmental factors, as moisture and pollutant absorption into the wood fibers, over-exposure effect of sun or artificial light sources, biological attack of different microorganisms, and the effects of the protective and decorative coatings.

Consolidation of Fir Wood by Poly(vinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate) Treatment: Study of Surface and Mechanical Characteristics

“…The presence of PVBVA polymer was also proven comparing the absorbance of the stretching vibrations of the alkyl group, ν as (CH 3 , CH 2 ) and (ν s (CH 3 , CH 2 ), in treated samples with the untreated one. The characteristic absorption bands of wood were in good agreement with those described in previous works [46][47][48].…”

A Multi-Technique Approach to Evaluate the Surface Properties of Heat-Treated Chestnut Wood Finished with a Water-Based Coating

“…Wood colour is one of the most relevant properties to be considered when its surface needs to be treated with coatings and protective products [35][36][37], with special regards to cultural heritage objects [38]. The effect of heat treatment on wood colour consists of a darkening of the surface increasing with the temperature, as visually observed in Figure 3.…”

Physico-Chemical Characterization of Wood Treated with Polymeric Systems

“…The color parameters analyzed were: ΔL* -the change of color lightness, on different time intervals, compare with the initial value: ΔL* = L 1 * -L initial *; Δa* -the chromatic deviation of the a* coordinates (red and green color), on different time intervals, compare to the initial value: Δa* = a 1 * -a initial *; Δb* -chromatic deviation of the b* coordinates (yellow and blue color), respecting the same mathematic formula: Δb* = b 1 * -b initial *, and ΔE -color variation and stability that can be calculated using the Eq. (1) [4]:…”

“…Recently, wood-polymer composites are one of the most important products due to with various applications in the construction industry. Solid wood, a renewable resource, is one of the most used sources of structural materials, due to the low price and pleasant appearance [4]. Impregnation of wood with a monomer followed by catalytic polymerization or by gamma irradiation leads to the formation of Wood-Polymer Composites [5].…”