A Two-Step Surface Modification Methodology for the Advanced Protection of a Stone Surface
Liliana Marinescu,
Ludmila Motelica,
Denisa Ficai,
Anton Ficai,
Ovidiu Cristian Oprea,
Ecaterina Andronescu,
Alina-Maria Holban
Affiliations
Liliana Marinescu
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Gh Polizu Street 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Ludmila Motelica
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Gh Polizu Street 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Denisa Ficai
Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Gh Polizu Street 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Anton Ficai
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Gh Polizu Street 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Ovidiu Cristian Oprea
Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Gh Polizu Street 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Ecaterina Andronescu
Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Gh Polizu Street 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Alina-Maria Holban
Microbiology Immunology Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 1-3 Portocalelor Lane, District 5, 77206 Bucharest, Romania
The biodeterioration of the natural surface on monuments, historical buildings, and even public claddings brings to the attention of researchers and historians the issues of conservation and protection. Natural stones undergo changes in their appearance, being subjected to deterioration due to climatic variations and the destructive action of biological systems interfering with and living on them, leading to ongoing challenges in the protection of the exposed surfaces. Nanotechnology, through silver nanoparticles with strong antimicrobial effects, can provide solutions for protecting natural surfaces using specific coupling agents tailored to each substrate. In this work, surfaces of two common types of natural stone, frequently encountered in landscaping and finishing works, were modified using siloxane coupling agents with thiol groups. Through these agents, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were fixed, exhibiting distinct characteristics, and subjected to antimicrobial analysis. This study presents a comparative analysis of the efficiency of coupling agents that can be applied to a natural surface with porous structures, when combined with laboratory-obtained silver nanoparticles, in reducing the formation of microbial biofilms, which are a main trigger for stone biodeterioration.
