Consolidation and coating treatments for glass in the cultural heritage field: A review

Abstract

Consolidation and coating treatments are two types of interventions that form part of the active conservation actions developed for historical and archaeological glass over the years. While thermoplastic and thermosetting resins are widely adopted by conservators worldwide, issues related to the toxicity and the material compatibility of these products remains unsolved. To address these issues, efforts have been made to develop new formulations that can functionally replace or exhibit performance advantages with respect to these canonical polymeric materials. In this review, we discuss the main classes of materials applied thus far for protection and consolidation aims in the cultural heritage glass field, starting from the beginning of the 19th century and continuing until present days. We also assess the potential of hybrid organic-inorganic materials and full inorganic materials as alternative solutions to the limitations of organic materials in application. Finally, we provide our perspectives on future directions for the development of consolidation products that meet the specific requirements of the cultural heritage field.

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