A New Methodology for the Accelerated Simulation of Environmental Attacks

The study of materials durability requires reliable accelerated-ageing methodologies able to simulate the natural atmospherical environment, accelerating alterative processes without changing their qualitative features. Many already known techniques allow to expose samples to 1-2 aggressive parameters at a time, providing useful information; such a simulation corresponds to a drastic simplification of real conditions, where multiple factors act according to integrated mechanisms. A new methodology has been studied, based on a new equipment which allows to modify simultaneously the thermohygrometric and lighting conditions as well as the levels of up to three gaseous pollutants. The methodology has been used with good results to assess the durability of some polimeric protectives largely employed in the conservation of the Cultural Heritage. This work reports the equipment and the performed tests.