ABSTRACT
One of the main problems presented by traditional lime mortars, usually used in restoration of historical building heritage, is that their degree of carbonation (set processes) slows down significantly or is canceled out under low temperature environmental conditions (<5-10ºC). The research undertaken focused on understanding how different types of industrial or even traditional additives can improve the carbonation processes in traditional lime mortars in order to obtain better functionality at low temperatures. Different instrumental technics have also proven their different effectiveness to detect changes in the carbonation processes that are transformed over time at different temperatures. The addition of small quantities of stable chemicals, such as acrylic resins or antifreeze fluids, also inert particles, has provided very promising results in the way that they increase the quality of lime mortars when carbonating up to around 1 degree Celsius of ambient temperature. Below the freezing point no conclusive results have been obtained, although the results have opened new variables for new lines of research that can bring new mortars to the materials conservation industry.
