| Feb 27, 2013 |
Scientists tout nanotechnology to preserve cultural treasures |
| (Nanowerk News) Experts from nine countries have come together to promote the use of nanotechnology to preserve works of art and other cultural treasures at the Nanoforart conference: "Nanotechnology for the cleaning of Cultural Heritage", Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History said. |
| The techniques pioneered by the NANOFORART Project are applicable to structures, paintings and books, the institute, known as INAH, said in a statement. |
| Piero Baglioni, a researcher and professor at the University of Florence in Italy, has been using the techniques for three decades. |
| Baglioni and Dr. Rodorico Giorgi, also of the University of Florence, traveled to Mexico earlier this month to preside over a conference on Nanotechnology applied to cultural heritage: wall paintings/cellulose, INAH said. |
| The project includes specialists from Italy, Spain, Britain, France, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovenia and Mexico and is coordinated by the CSGI center at the University of Florence. |
| NANONFORART is set to conclude in December 2014 with the "validation of the technology and the methods developed, as well as training activities," INAH said. |
| Until now, preservation of cultural treasures has been carried out using conventional materials that are often incompatible with the works and can, over time, alter the appearance of the object. |
| Baglioni has worked with INAH personnel to clean and restore pre-Columbian murals at the Cacaxtla, Cholula, Tlatelolco, Mayapan, El Tajin, Monte Alban and Teotihuacan sites. |
| Source: UC Santa Barbara |
