Cleaning III: Applications and Case Studies

Nanostructured fluids, such as micellar solutions and microemulsions, have opened in the last decades new perspectives in the field of cleaning and dirt removal from artworks surface. Selectivity, high efficiency and environmental impact have been radically optimized thanks to the synergistic action of different detergency mechanisms. Solubilization together with emulsification and direct interactions of surfactants with the artworks surfaces concur to the complete swelling and removal of materials, which can not be removed by classical cleaning methods. This is confirmed by the challenging problem of the removal of aged adhesives, which upon aging exhibit a strong decrease in solubility due to cross-linking reactions and the increase of molecular weight. Since the beginning of the ‘90s, successful applications of o/w microemulsions for the removal of polymer coatings from wall paintings have been documented.