Cleaning IV: Applications and Case Studies

This chapter presents the applicative potentialities of some classes of innovative gels and Higly Viscous Polymeric Dispersions (HVPDs) as the most advanced tools for the surface cleaning of wood and canvas paintings. As in the case of traditional gels, the high viscosity and the consequent strong retention power of these systems limit the penetration of the embedded solvents into artistic porous matrices, minimizing the swelling of the paint layer and favoring a good control of the cleaning action. However, the use of nanotechnology based-systems allow to overcome the problems related to the complete removal of traditional gels residues left onto the artistic substrate. The approaches highlighted in this chapter are based on the usage of nanostructured chemical gels, responsive systems and HVPDs. The formulation and application technique of the described systems are exhaustively illustrated, also in relation to real case studies.