ABSTRACT
Various polymer systems are being used for reducing or delaying the weathering of monuments and historic buildings. In the field of science for conservation of cultural heritage, the stone conservation, nanotechnology, and nanomaterials are being nowadays used for many purposes, most of them being related to the use of organic–inorganic hybrid nanocomposites, as well as composite materials comprising different types of polymers and silica nanoparticles. Due to its nanosized particles, the nanocomposite material is able to penetrate the limestone substrates deeper than the commercial one, not forming a compact polymeric film on top of the stone surfaces. The samples of Laspra treated with the nanocomposite hybrid material exhibited a 96° contact angle value during the first seconds of measurement, a slight decrease in the values being shown during the 30 s of measurements. For Laspra treated with the silsesquioxane-based nanocomposite, the environmental scanning electron microscopy micrographs show the presence of only sheet-like crystals.
