Nanotechnology helps conservation of historical artifacts

Iranian researchers designed and produced special showcases for demonstration of historical artifacts in museums and libraries which can protect ancient artifacts against any damage and prevent their destruction.
Conservation and preservation of historical and cultural artifacts are very important. The valuable artifacts become destructible after a long time and they need preventive protection methods. The aim of the researchers was to design and produce boxes to conserve the historical artifacts and to put them on display in museums and libraries.
The researchers tried to introduce a new method for the conservation of historical artifacts, in a way that no direct change is made on them. To this end, new conditions have been designed to conserve and display the artifacts. The researchers focused on some items, including preventing chemical and physical damages caused by light and cellulose oxidation, color fading after many years, and probably damages caused by fungi and bacteria.
The boxes were designed in a way that they help the conservation of the artifacts by optimizing environmental parameters and preventing damages. Unique properties of titanium dioxide nanoparticles have been used to achieve the objective, and the particles have been coated on the external surface of the glass. The boxes are transparent and they reduce environmental damages and increase the life of the artifact (specially books and manuscripts) due to the properties, including UV filtration, anti-fungi properties and decomposition of air pollutants.
Results of the research have been published in Journal of Cultural Heritage, vol. 15, issue 5, 2014, pp. 569-574.