Preface

Historical and cultural monuments are a bridge between past and present generations. These works have irreplaceable material and spiritual value, which indicates the need to preserve and maintain them in the best way for transmission to future generations. However, in many cases, the aging deterioration of these artworks can not be completely prevented, but appropriate methods of maintenance and protection can significantly reduce the rate of their decline and erosion. However, in many cases, monuments and artworks are in open spaces without care and protection guards, exposed to vandalism and weathering degradation, or air pollution sources.

Another challenge with historical artifacts is that many of them have been made by unknown individuals, artists, and artisans over decades and even centuries.

In many cases, in addition to proper maintenance, serious interventions are required to use appropriate coatings to maintain these works with long-term efficiency. Various processes are used to produce nanocomposite coatings, one of which is the wet chemical process by the sol-gel way.

Given that historical and cultural works are made of different materials, it isn't easy to address them in one book. Hence, the protective coatings for some of the most influential ones in human civilization, such as leather, parchment, paper, metals, historical artworks, and monuments made of brick, and stone are addressed in the form of 5 chapters in this book. In the first chapter, various analysis techniques are used to describe the materials used in historical monuments or the coatings used to preserve them. The second chapter introduces the properties of metals, alloys, and their common corrosion and proposes protection strategies for metal monuments. Also, various protective coatings, emphasizing nanocomposite coatings to prevent corrosion, especially electrochemical corrosion, are examined.

Chapter 3 is devoted to studying natural leather and parchments, which, as natural polymers, must be protected from damage by environmental factors such as UV, temperature, and humidity. There are various coatings for surface treatment of leather and parchment, each of which has advantages and disadvantages that are discussed in this chapter.

The fourth chapter deals with stone works, which contain many historical sources. Having sufficient knowledge about erosion processes and the mechanisms governing these processes, and the impact of environmental factors can improve the preservation of these works in the open space. In recent years, nanocomposite coatings have been considered for their protection. In addition, it is possible to add antimicrobial agents and nanoparticles to the base composition of the coating to create additional functions such as self-cleaning properties and resistance of microorganisms.

Chapter 5 deals with nanotechnology. It creates more effective materials and innovative methods to protect historical monuments and cultural heritage. This technology can be used in various fields of conservation and restoration of historical and cultural monuments, production of transparent coatings with the suitable application for protecting historical monuments, removal, cleaning of improper repairs of the past, and new techniques and methods for protection and restoration.

It is hoped that this book will be a positive step towards promoting scientific research and its application in protecting and preserving cultural and historical heritage. By better preserving, these works will create a better perspective for the future.