Sustainable solutions for removing aged wax-based coatings from cultural heritage: exploiting hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (DESs)

Biribicchi, Chiara; Macchia, Andrea; Favero, Gabriele; Strangis, Romina; Gabriele, Bartolo; Mancuso, Raffaella; Russa, Mauro Francesco La

doi:10.1039/d3nj00228d

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 48 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In addition to inhibitors, coating systems such as microcrystalline waxes are frequently used because they strike a balance between efficiency and aesthetic considerations [19][20][21]. However, one drawback of microcrystalline waxes is their relatively limited durability and poor outdoor protection, and issues such as dusting have been reported [22][23][24]. Consequently, as the need arose to address severe cases of corrosion, inhibitors, which were already known in the industrial sector, also found application in the realm of CH.…”

Section: Inhibitors For Cultural Heritage Metalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Use of Plant Extracts as Sustainable Corrosion Inhibitors for Cultural Heritage Alloys: A Mini-Review

González-Parra,

Di Turo

2024

Sustainability

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Corrosion inhibitors have traditionally been utilised to protect copper alloy sculptures from corrosion despite the recognised environmental and human health risks. Knowing the associated toxicity, ongoing extensive research seeks alternative substances for corrosion reduction, giving rise to the emergence of green inhibitors. In this pursuit, plant extract inhibitors have gained attention, particularly in the heritage field. This review discusses recent advancements in synthesising sustainable and eco-friendly products designed to preserve metallic heritage from corrosion. We discuss the key findings on plant extracts used for corrosion control in metal alloys, taking into account the extraction methods to ensure the comprehensive coverage of relevant details. The use of plant extracts as corrosion inhibitors for metallic materials in cultural heritage (CH) is a highly promising and valuable research area. This review highlights recent advancements in the field, providing utility for conservators, conservation scientists, and restorers in identifying the most effective, eco-friendly, and safe compounds for material application.

show abstract

Section: Inhibitors For Cultural Heritage Metalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Use of Plant Extracts as Sustainable Corrosion Inhibitors for Cultural Heritage Alloys: A Mini-Review

González-Parra,

Di Turo

2024

Sustainability

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Based on these considerations, the ability of HDESs has been exploited for the removal of non-polar coatings, such as waxes, from art surfaces. The following HDESs were tested in laboratory using slide samples having a non-polar coating [11]. They were used to test the removal properties on beeswax and two microcrystalline waxes (R21 and Renaissance), commonly used in the past on stone and metal artifacts.…”

Section: Fig 4 After Dess Application (Above) and Four Months After A...mentioning

confidence: 99%

New green solvents for cleaning and conservation of Cultural Heritage: Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs)

Strangis,

La Russa,

Macchia

et al. 2023

Proceedings of the 2022 IMEKO TC4 International Conference on Metrology for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) are a relatively new class of unconventional green solvents. They are obtained by mixing two or more components, a hydrogen bond donor (HBD) and a hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA), which form a liquid at room temperature due to their lower melting point compared to the starting materials. DESs are characterized by their low toxicity, high environmental compatibility, non-flammability, and non-volatility. While DESs have found applications in various fields such as organometallic chemistry and pharmaceutical production, their potential use in restoration of cultural heritage has not been explored until now. This research project aims to synthesize DESs and investigate their effectiveness as green products for restoration practices. The results obtained from the first case studies highlight the promising use of DESs as green solvents and biocides, able to effectively removing the products of alteration and degradation of Cultural Heritage.

show abstract

“…Recent advances in the study of greener formulations have introduced new sustainable solutions. However, despite the well-known hazards to human health and the environment posed by solvents like methylethylketone, aliphatic, and aromatic hydrocarbons, these substances continue to be widely used in common restoration practices [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. This conservative approach can be attributed to conservators' initial skepticism towards innovative greener solutions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consequently, they can be more safely applied on various materials and only interact with other non-polar compounds. For this reason, they are commonly used to remove natural and microcrystalline waxes from artworks, such as outdoor stone and metal sculptures [5][6][7]15,[32][33][34]. Simultaneously, the removal of natural and synthetic varnishes, both aged A significant improvement was represented by the development of advanced colloidal systems, such as peelable and nanostructured chemical gels (Figure 2) [20,26,27].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Organogels for Low-Polar Organic Solvents: Potential Applications on Cultural Heritage Materials

Biribicchi,

Giuliani,

Macchia

et al. 2023

Sustainability

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Traditional cleaning methods for removing undesired substances from artworks often involve the use of toxic volatile solvents, raising concerns about human health and environmental impact. Over time, various cleaning systems, such as thickeners, rigid, peelable, and nanostructured gels, have been introduced in the conservation sector to minimize solvent use and toxicity. However, these methods are primarily tailored for aqueous solutions or medium-to-high-polar solvents, leaving sustainable organogels for low-polar solvents largely unexplored. This paper explores the application of Low-Molecular-Weight Gelators (LMWGs) in the field of cultural heritage conservation, focusing on their potential to gel low-polar organic solvents. LMWGs, including cholesterol derivatives, fatty acid-derived compounds, anthryl, anthraquinone, amino acid, and saccharide-based organogelators, offer biocompatible and cost-effective options by forming supramolecular gels that immobilize solvents and reduce their release into the environment. This study highlights the need to transition from traditional, often toxic, solvents to greener and more sustainable cleaning systems by emphasizing LMWGs’ biodegradability, biocompatibility, and sustainability. While challenges such as optimizing gel properties and ensuring compatibility with artwork surfaces still need to be addressed, LMWGs hold promise as organogelators in conservation practice. Further research into LMWGs should focus on their optimization for conservation applications by adjusting their rheological properties and physico-chemical stability.

show abstract

Sustainable solutions for removing aged wax-based coatings from cultural heritage: exploiting hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (DESs)

Abstract: Hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents as suitable alternatives to toxic solvents used in the conservation of Cultural Heritage sector.

Cited by 4 publications

References 48 publications

The Use of Plant Extracts as Sustainable Corrosion Inhibitors for Cultural Heritage Alloys: A Mini-Review

The Use of Plant Extracts as Sustainable Corrosion Inhibitors for Cultural Heritage Alloys: A Mini-Review

New green solvents for cleaning and conservation of Cultural Heritage: Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs)

Organogels for Low-Polar Organic Solvents: Potential Applications on Cultural Heritage Materials

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About