TITLE:
Re-Assembly of Archaeological Massive Limestones Using Epoxy Resin Modified with Nanomaterials—Part 1: Experimental
AUTHORS:
Mohammad A. Aldosari, Sawsan S. Darwish, Mahmoud A. Adam, Nagib A. Elmarzugi, Sayed M. Ahmed
KEYWORDS:
Epoxy Resins, Nanocomposites, Re-Assembly, Massive Limestones, Mechanical Properties
JOURNAL NAME:
Green and Sustainable Chemistry,
Vol.10 No.1,
February
20,
2020
ABSTRACT: Massive limestones were used in construction of
ancient Egyptian tombs, temples, obelisks and other sculptures. These stones
are always exposed to physico-mechanical deterioration and destructive forces,
leading to partial or total collapse. The task of reassembling this type of
artifacts represents a big challenge for the conservators. Recently, the
researchers are turning to new technologies to improve the properties of
traditional adhesive materials and techniques used in re-assembly of broken
massive stones. The epoxy resins are used extensively in stone conservation and
re-assembly of broken stones because of their outstanding mechanical
properties. The adding of nanoparticles to polymeric adhesives at low
percentages may lead to substantial improvements of their mechanical
performances in structural joints and massive objects. The aim of this study is
to evaluate the effectiveness of montmorillonite clay, calcium carbonate, and
silicon dioxide nanoparticles for enhancing the performances of epoxy adhesives
used in re-assembly of archaeological massive limestones. Scanning electron
microscopy (SEM) was employed in order to investigate the morphology of the
prepared nanocomposites, and the
distribution of nanoparticles inside the composites. Artificial aging, tensile,
compressive, and elongation strength tests were used to evaluate the efficiency
of epoxy-nanocomposites. The results showed that the epoxy-clay nanocomposites
exhibited superior tensile, compressive, and elongation strength, in addition
to improving the mechanical properties of stone joints.