Extraordinary protective efficacy of graphene oxide over the stone-based cultural heritage
Resumen de la comunicación oral presentada en el congreso ChemOnTubes 2022, 24-28 Abril, Donostia-San Sebastián (España) ; The deterioration of our most ancient monumental stones (limestones and dolomites) is a common event occurring to our historical and cultural heritage, threatening the preservation of our social identity and its legacy to future generations. Thus, protecting such stones that integrate from the weathering caused by climatic aggressions is a worldwide concern, requiring solutions to keep their cultural and functional values. Not any protective coating may be applied to stone monuments exposed outdoors, as the preservation of their original aesthetics is a must, together with affordable preparation and application routes. Herein, an unprecedented performance of graphene oxide (GO) for the shielding of carbonated ornamental stones against environmental aggressions, namely intense rainfall and extreme temperatures, is reported. In summary, we demonstrate an astonishing performance of GO as a protective coating to shield Spanish dolomites against simulated harsh rain and abrupt temperature changes, applicable at large scales to ornamental stones integrating our cultural and historical heritage. The simple recipe of spraying an additive-free aqueous colloidal suspension of GO over the stones surface provides an affordable and extremely efficient way to preserve stonebased cultural goods exposed outdoors, preventing physical damage caused by climatic aggressions, eventually resulting in a highly protective and durable coating. With an accurate control over the GO coating extent, the original color of the stones is not significantly altered, a paramount trait for an eventual application in heritage protection and conservation, reasserting the unique potential of GO for conserving exposed stonebased monuments in an affordable, accessible, and revolutionary way.[1-3] ; Government of Aragón, Grupos Reconocidos DGA T03_20R.