Objectives
The aim of the HEROMAT project is to develop innovative and environmental friendly materials that have chemical and mechanical properties tailored with respect to the protection of immovable Cultural Heritage assets. Through knowledge exchange among members of the international team of experts the main objectives of this multidisciplinary research will be in the realm of protection and consolidation of Cultural Heritage objects by the development of the following innovative protective materials effective for different kind of Cultural Heritage materials: self-cleaning coatings, anti-microbial coatings and consolidants with or without hydrophobic properties.
The targeted surfaces will be inorganic mineral substrates of Cultural Heritage objects: stone, brick, mortar, render and colour finishing layers.
HEROMAT Project Main Objectives
- Develop optimal protective coating precursor formulations for different mineral substrates suitable for the application on Cultural Heritage assets
- Develop optimal consolidant formulations for carbonate substrates suitable for the application on Cultural Heritage assets
- Develop optimal consolidant formulations for silicate substrates suitable for the application on Cultural Heritage assets
- Develop multifunctional protective-consolidated systems suitable for the application on Cultural Heritage assets
- Pilot production of final protective coating formulations by SME partner
- Pilot production of final consolidant formulations for carbonate substrates by SME partner
- Pilot production of final consolidant formulations for silicate substrates by SME partner
- Improve physical and aesthetic state of the selected Cultural Heritage assets
HEROMAT Project Additional Objectives
- Raise awareness of local community on protection of Cultural Heritage
- Inform broader audience about the HEROMAT advanced materials
- Form cradle-to-gate model for selected materials production and cradle-to-grave model for advanced materials on different substrates
- Cross-linking different region expertise (EUC-AC-ICPC) for global market implementation
Methods/knowledge, which will be developed or established for the successful execution of the project, are:
- Study of coating interactions with different mineral substrates (brick, stone, mortar, render, colour finishing layers) will form the basis for the design and production of novel advanced materials.
- Study of material degradation processes for Cultural Heritage objects in order to find the most effective solution for protection (bio-degradation and bio-receptivity, degradation due to frost action, thermal-hydric cycling, alkali-silica reactivity, sulphate corrosion etc.).
- Study of suitable methods and techniques for monitoring and assessment of efficiency of the developed materials in laboratory and on site in real time scale.
- Development of the application techniques and study of the effect of the application technique on the performance of the developed materials.
- Study of durability of applied materials (short and long-term effects of protective, and consolidative materials on mineral historical substrates).
- Establishment/adjustment/development of methods for characterization of functional and other important properties of unprotected and protected targeted historical materials.
- Life cycle thinking in the assessment of environmental friendly advanced protective materials (assessment of environmental impact of developed materials).
There will be many practical application possibilities of the newly developed products. Therefore, these novel materials have high potential on the cultural monument protection market, as well as on the civil engineering market. These contemporary and environmental protection products will also strengthen the image and position of participating companies.