Cleaning of Wall Paintings and Architectural Surfaces by Plasma

Coating surfaces with a protective layer is a common method to protect artwork from deterioration. These layers consist often of organic substances such as acrylic resins. Due to weathering and ageing polymers usually suffer changes in optical properties and these organic coats also reduce the water-permeability of porous systems which can cause an accelerated decay. Therefore, we need a method to remove organic matter without harming the substance. In the present study, cleaning procedures with different types of artificially soiled surfaces were carried out. Two different atmospheric pressure plasma jets that permit an economic application were investigated to get the optimal plasma parameters for cleaning.