Nanotechnology Applied to the Conservation and Restoration of Pre-Hispanic Cultural Heritage

This work has been focused on the development and characterization of nanomaterials for restoration and conservation treatments of mural paintings in situ in different pre-Hispanic archaeological sites based in two principle lines, cleaning and consolidation. The first venture involved the cleaning of wall paintings, particularly the removal of synthetic polymers used as consolidants in restorations applied during the past few decades that have now have become a new source of deterioration. Secondly, the consolidation of the pictorial layers through the use of nanoparticles of calcium and barium hydroxide, materials highly compatible with the original substrate was investigated. The two issues were addressed by performing experimental work on samples taken from the sites and of model samples in laboratory, in order to characterize in a complete way the different materials and evaluate the applicability of intervention techniques. Based on the experimental results, different tests were conducted in situ to verify the effectiveness of the products/treatments. In particular, case studies of archaeological sites in Mexico with ongoing restoration projects were undertaken.