Many historical buildings were built of limestone, such as Vienna’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Limestone is easy to work with, but does not withstand weathering well. It consists mainly of calcite minerals that are relatively weakly bound to each other, which is why parts of the stone keep crumbling away over the years, often requiring costly restoration and conservation treatments.
However, it is possible to increase the resistance of the stone by treating it with special silicate nanoparticles. The method is already being used, but what exactly happens in the process and which nanoparticles are best suited for this purpose has been unclear until now. A research team from TU Wien and the University of Oslo has now been able to clarify exactly how this artificial hardening process takes place through elaborate experiments at the DESY synchrotron in Hamburg and with microscopic examinations in Vienna. That way, the team could determine which nanoparticles are best suited for this purpose.
Nanosynth Group plc (LON:NNN) nano-technology business that originated in Nottingham from a partnership with Nottingham Trent University. Their core mission is to develop unique ways to produce and apply nano particles.