Effectiveness of a novel consolidant/hydrophobic nanomaterial on stones from three archaeological sites

Many of archaeological sites situated on south of Spain suffer serious deterioration caused by environmental factors, such natural and anthropogenic pollution. In this study we evaluated the effectiveness of a new surfactant-synthesized nanomaterial prepared in our laboratory by mixing silica oligomers and organosiloxane in the presence of the surfactant n-octylamine. The products were evaluated on stone samples from three archaeological sites in the south of Spain. For comparison purposes, two commercial products were also evaluated. The results generated in this study show that the nanomaterial synthesized in our laboratory produces a homogeneous and crack-free coating. In addition, it presents higher hydrophobic and consolidant effectiveness than those associated to the commercial products. Finally, the penetration depth was also higher for our product.