QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION OF THE CONSOLIDATING EFFECTS INDUCED BY INORGANIC MINERAL TREATMENTS APPLIED ON POROUS CARBONATE STONE SURFACES
type: CreativeWork
description: Carbonate stones have been extensively used in cultural heritage (CH) throughout history due to their abundance and workability for many historical monuments and artworks. However, these stone materials are decaying at a noticeable rate, particularly under the influence of pollutants like sulfur oxides and CO2, compounded by climate change. The heterogeneity of carbonate stones, including texture and porosity, further complicates their conservation, often leading to unpredictable decay processes. Moreover, previous conservation efforts, frequently lacking in standardized diagnostic assessments, can create complex challenges for future interventions. This means that stone conservation research is of crucial importance. This research focuses on two inorganic treatments for carbonate stone materials: ammonium oxalate (AmOx) and diammonium hydrogen phosphate (DAP) water solutions. AmOx generates a calcium oxalate (CaOx) layer on the stone surface, preventing further weathering. DAP forms calcium phosphate (CaP), addressing the loss of cohesion and increasing the strength of a decayed matrix by binding detached grains. Despite their efficacy, challenges remain in optimizing treatment penetration, unambiguous results, and long-term effectiveness. Given that the stone conservation field is constantly evolving, this dissertation explores a novel sequential treatment approach combining AmOx and DAP, aiming to harness the protective surface layer of CaOx and the deeper consolidation effects of CaP. While initial studies show promise, results are extremely variable. A comprehensive understanding of the single treatments' interactions with the stone’s substrate is crucial. Specifically, this research focuses on the kinetics, crystallization effects on porosity, and mineralogical transformations within the calcite matrix during and after the reaction with the single solutions. The second objective of this study is to identify advanced, high-resolution imaging techniques to chara…
abstract: Carbonate stones have been extensively used in cultural heritage (CH) throughout history due to their abundance and workability for many historical monuments and artworks. However, these stone materials are decaying at a noticeable rate, particularly under the influence of pollutants like sulfur oxides and CO2, compounded by climate change. The heterogeneity of carbonate stones, including texture and porosity, further complicates their conservation, often leading to unpredictable decay processes. Moreover, previous conservation efforts, frequently lacking in standardized diagnostic assessments, can create complex challenges for future interventions. This means that stone conservation research is of crucial importance. This research focuses on two inorganic treatments for carbonate stone materials: ammonium oxalate (AmOx) and diammonium hydrogen phosphate (DAP) water solutions. AmOx generates a calcium oxalate (CaOx) layer on the stone surface, preventing further weathering. DAP forms calcium phosphate (CaP), addressing the loss of cohesion and increasing the strength of a decayed matrix by binding detached grains. Despite their efficacy, challenges remain in optimizing treatment penetration, unambiguous results, and long-term effectiveness. Given that the stone conservation field is constantly evolving, this dissertation explores a novel sequential treatment approach combining AmOx and DAP, aiming to harness the protective surface layer of CaOx and the deeper consolidation effects of CaP. While initial studies show promise, results are extremely variable. A comprehensive understanding of the single treatments' interactions with the stone’s substrate is crucial. Specifically, this research focuses on the kinetics, crystallization effects on porosity, and mineralogical transformations within the calcite matrix during and after the reaction with the single solutions. The second objective of this study is to identify advanced, high-resolution imaging techniques to chara…
author: MASSINELLI, GIULIA
language: eng
keywords: Settore GEOS-01/D - Georisorse minerarie e applicazioni mineralogico-petrografiche per l'ambiente e per i beni culturali
date published: 2025-02-28
date modified: 2026-07-27T20:19:10Z
provider: Università degli Studi di Milano
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Università degli Studi di Milano

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/1132775

PropertyValue
property ID: DOI
value: 10.13130/massinelli-giulia_phd2025-02-28