The Use of Hydrogels in the Treatment of Metal Cultural Heritage Objects
Currently gels are widely used in the restoration of paintings, graphic arts, stuccowork and stonework, but their use in metal restoration is less widespread. In this study, several polysaccharide-based hydrogels (agar, gellan and xanthan gum) were selected for use in metal treatments. The use of hy...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Gels |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/9/3/191 |
| _version_ | 1797611602527125504 |
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| author | Elodie Guilminot |
| author_facet | Elodie Guilminot |
| author_sort | Elodie Guilminot |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Currently gels are widely used in the restoration of paintings, graphic arts, stuccowork and stonework, but their use in metal restoration is less widespread. In this study, several polysaccharide-based hydrogels (agar, gellan and xanthan gum) were selected for use in metal treatments. The use of hydrogels allows to localize a chemical or electrochemical treatment. This paper presents several examples of treatment of metal objects of cultural heritage, i.e., historical or archaeological objects. The advantages, disadvantages and limits of hydrogel treatments are discussed. The best results are obtained for the cleaning of copper alloys via associating an agar gel with a chelating agent (EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) or TAC (tri-ammonium citrate)). The hot application allows to obtain a peelable gel, particularly adapted for historical objects. Electrochemical treatments using hydrogels have been successful for the cleaning of silver and for the dechlorination of ferrous or copper alloys. The use of hydrogels for the cleaning of painted aluminum alloys is possible but it has to be coupled with mechanical cleaning. However, for the cleaning of archaeological lead, the cleaning using hydrogels was not very effective. This paper shows the new possibilities of using hydrogels for the treatment of metal cultural heritage objects: agar is the most promising hydrogel. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:30:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-678958ed701b4c6b826180eab18af01d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2310-2861 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:30:03Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Gels |
| spelling | doaj.art-678958ed701b4c6b826180eab18af01d2023-11-17T11:14:32ZengMDPI AGGels2310-28612023-03-019319110.3390/gels9030191The Use of Hydrogels in the Treatment of Metal Cultural Heritage ObjectsElodie Guilminot0Arc’Antique Conservation and Research Laboratory, 26 Rue de la Haute Forêt, 44300 Nantes, FranceCurrently gels are widely used in the restoration of paintings, graphic arts, stuccowork and stonework, but their use in metal restoration is less widespread. In this study, several polysaccharide-based hydrogels (agar, gellan and xanthan gum) were selected for use in metal treatments. The use of hydrogels allows to localize a chemical or electrochemical treatment. This paper presents several examples of treatment of metal objects of cultural heritage, i.e., historical or archaeological objects. The advantages, disadvantages and limits of hydrogel treatments are discussed. The best results are obtained for the cleaning of copper alloys via associating an agar gel with a chelating agent (EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) or TAC (tri-ammonium citrate)). The hot application allows to obtain a peelable gel, particularly adapted for historical objects. Electrochemical treatments using hydrogels have been successful for the cleaning of silver and for the dechlorination of ferrous or copper alloys. The use of hydrogels for the cleaning of painted aluminum alloys is possible but it has to be coupled with mechanical cleaning. However, for the cleaning of archaeological lead, the cleaning using hydrogels was not very effective. This paper shows the new possibilities of using hydrogels for the treatment of metal cultural heritage objects: agar is the most promising hydrogel.https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/9/3/191hydrogelagarconservation-restorationcleaning treatmentstabilizationiron |
| spellingShingle | Elodie Guilminot The Use of Hydrogels in the Treatment of Metal Cultural Heritage Objects Gels hydrogel agar conservation-restoration cleaning treatment stabilization iron |
| title | The Use of Hydrogels in the Treatment of Metal Cultural Heritage Objects |
| title_full | The Use of Hydrogels in the Treatment of Metal Cultural Heritage Objects |
| title_fullStr | The Use of Hydrogels in the Treatment of Metal Cultural Heritage Objects |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Use of Hydrogels in the Treatment of Metal Cultural Heritage Objects |
| title_short | The Use of Hydrogels in the Treatment of Metal Cultural Heritage Objects |
| title_sort | use of hydrogels in the treatment of metal cultural heritage objects |
| topic | hydrogel agar conservation-restoration cleaning treatment stabilization iron |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/9/3/191 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elodieguilminot theuseofhydrogelsinthetreatmentofmetalculturalheritageobjects AT elodieguilminot useofhydrogelsinthetreatmentofmetalculturalheritageobjects |