Artworks conserved with nanotechnology
Heating is crucial to the successful restoration of artworks; however, currently available forms of heating lack control, uniformity and accuracy – all of which can have negative and irreversible consequences. Furthermore, lack of mobility puts valuable works of art at risk because of difficulties accessing remote locations or responding quickly to emergencies when using traditional heating tables. The IMAT (Intelligent mobile multipurpose accurate thermoelectrical (IMAT) device for art conservation) project helped to solve these challenges by developing precision heating technology based on carbon nanotubes integrated into a conductive coating. The EU-funded consortium brought together art conservators, thermoelectric engineers and researchers working with nanotechnologies in order to utilise their combined expertise. Project partners created three kinds of flexible heating mats with different designs (opaque and ultra-thin/woven, breathable and transparent) and with different operational and physical properties. The IMAT standard (IMAT-S) version is a highly accurate, low-voltage mobile flexible heater with an external opaque and non-breathable silicon skin. It is intended for the most frequent thermal treatments, where visibility and breathability are not required. This version may be programmed to deliver steady, uniform and accurate heat from 25 to 75 ºC, the most commonly used range of temperature in the conservation field. IMAT breathable (IMAT-B) is an open mesh, low-voltage heater with a non-tack silicon-coated surface. A second type of IMAT-B consists of an electrically conductive, yet isolated open mesh heater that is faced with a perforated polyurethane skin. The breathable mats facilitate airflow and the migration of moisture, and are often used in combination with mild heating in conservation treatments. However, the heater should not be used with organic solvents. This version can provide heat from 25 to 50 ºC, but is capable of reaching temperatures up to 85 ºC. The transparent IMAT (IMAT-T) version is made of an innovative lightweight polyethylene naphthalate (PEN 60-30) textile. The mat allows a transparency over 80 %, at the same time maintaining the necessary temperature. The heater can be programmed to deliver steady, uniform and accurate heat from 25 to 75 ºC. The mobility and versatility of all the versions of the IMAT heating device will provide major benefits for conservation professionals and the conservation of Europe's paintings and other 2D artworks.
Keywords
Artworks, carbon nanotube, heat treatment, thermoelectrical, conservation, heating mats
