{"id":39947,"date":"2024-03-13T13:45:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-13T12:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/recursos-educativos\/como-radiacion-restaurar-objeto-importancia-historica-artistica-cultural\/"},"modified":"2025-04-09T11:53:16","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T09:53:16","slug":"how-radiation-restore-object-historical-artistic-cultural-importance","status":"publish","type":"re_recurso","link":"https:\/\/rinconeducativo.org\/en\/recursos-educativos\/how-radiation-restore-object-historical-artistic-cultural-importance\/","title":{"rendered":"How radiation can restore an object of historical, artistic or cultural importance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Since the discovery of nuclear energy, many applications have been developed<\/a>, such as producing electricity, diagnosing and treating diseases, caring for the environment, etc. However, one of them is little known: the study, conservation, restoration, and disinfection of cultural, artistic, or historical heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we focus on nuclear science and technology applied to the restoration of historical works and objects, however, if you want to know more about what else can be done, have a look at our article: What can nuclear technology do for artistic, cultural and historical heritage?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes an object is not only studied and\/or disinfected, but also needs to be restored. This is done by irradiation to restore the chemical bonds of the damaged object, thus helping to strengthen and solidify them. This method involves soaking the object or material in a liquid resin and then exposing it to radiation to harden and strengthen it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to the consolidation method, the object appears virtually intact, however, the material and its physical properties have been transformed in such a way that they have become stronger and denser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most commonly restored materials is wood as it is organic composite, consisting of cellulose fibres in a lignin matrix, hygroscopic and anisotropic, which makes it highly biodegradable and, without conservation precautions, it can be quickly destroyed due to its low chemical stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, environmental conditions as well as human activities can significantly promote its degradation. In fact, it is very sensitive to climate, light (especially ultraviolet rays) and variations in air temperature and humidity. During climatic variations in the environment, the internal humidity level of the wood varies, causing swelling or shrinkage, which can lead to warping and cracking, splitting or peeling.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Restauraci\u00f3n
Restoration of a carving (Source: ARC-Nucle\u00e1rt)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Another important cause of dry wood degradation is biological attacks by xylophagous insects. The most common in furniture and statues are the lyctus<\/em>, the anobium punctatum or small woodworm, and the reticuliternus or termite. The larvae of the first two feed by digging galleries in the wood, away from light, and at the end of their life cycle, the larva transforms into a flying insect, leaving a \u2018flight hole\u2019 on the surface.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Problema
Woodworm problem on a carving (Source: ARC-Nucl\u00e9art)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Fungi are also a problem for wood because they cause wood to decay, cause painted wood to swell and crack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below are some examples of objects that have been restored using nuclear techniques:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barge Arles Rh\u00f4ne 3<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Waterlogged archaeological materials have sometimes remained for centuries in a humid or aqueous environment and appear to be intact, but their internal structure has suffered irreversible damage. In other cases, such as at the bottom of lakes, rivers, seas and soils where the water level has remained constant over time, the absence of oxygen (anaerobic environment) can preserve wood, leather, and fibers from rapid degradation although they continue to dissolve under the effect of water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2011, irradiation was applied to a 1st-century Roman wooden boat found in the Rh\u00f4ne River in Arles (France), called \u2018Arles-Rh\u00f4ne 3\u2019 measuring 31 meters in length. After its discovery, as the boat dried out, the wood began to fall apart. To save this ancient relic, ARC-Nucl\u00e9art<\/a> specialists used the technique of freeze-drying consolidation with PEG (polyethylene glycol), i.e. triggering a chemical polymerization reaction using gamma radiation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n