Sol-Gel Coatings for the Protection of Brass and Bronze

The effectiveness of sol-gel Ormosil coatings as barriers coatings has already been demonstrated, and it is natural to assume that such coatings can play a unique role in art conservation, where object corrosion and decay are often a major issue. The main feature of ormosil coatings that would make them preferable to polymers is their potentially higher stability to ultra-violet radiation, controlled porosity and good adhesion to many different substrates. The permeability to various gases can also be tailored with changes in the chemical structure. In previous work, we have applied the sol-gel process as part of a multiplayer coating in the conservation of the Last Judgment mosaic in Prague. In the present work, we explore the use of sol-gel organic-inorganic hybrid coatings on various copper alloy substrates frequently encountered in art conservation.