Clays within the stone used to construct historical sites such as Angor Wat and Aztec ruins are susceptible to swelling when exposed to water which can cause damage to the
structures. The effects of surfactants in ameliorating this problem on stone samples from these sites were explored. Swelling was reduced significantly in Aztec stone (~ 60-90%) and somewhat
reduced (~ 20-55%) in Angor Wat stone. Conclusions included: carbon chains with amine ends reduced swelling; mixtures worked better when applied twice; sequences worked better than mixtures;
treatment worked better when the smaller molecule was applied first.
Publisher
Princeton Center for Complex Materials (PCCM)
Date
2005-08-05
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