Inorganic nanomaterials for the deacidifcation of waterlogged wood

This chapter focuses on the main conservation issues of archaeological and waterlogged wood, providing both an overview and specific case studies that involve the usage of nanotechnology as an innovative approach to solve preservation problems. Essential information on wood’s composition, structure, degradation and traditional conservation methods, is provided as a background before discussing novel materials for the protection and consolidation of wood artworks and major objects. New tools such as nanolatexes, nanoparticulate silica sols, and dispersions of alkaline earth hydroxide nanoparticles are introduced and discussed in the context of valuating real possibilities for wood’s protective coatings, consolidants, and deacidifying agents. Two case studies are presented, involving the conservation of waterlogged shipwrecks (such as the Vasa and the Mary Rose), and the neutralization of acidic volatile organic compounds emitted from wooden substrates. Both cases highlight the potential of inorganic nanomaterials for solving the problem of wood’s acidity, either developed within the fibres or emitted from the objects’ surface, which represents one of the main concerns when dealing with the preservation of wooden artefacts.