Improvement in Inorganic Affinity of Acrylic Materials for Conservation Treatment of Stone Cultural Assets

Applying acrylic silane monomer for determent of weathering damage of stone cultural assets from various sources was investigated to improve inorganic affinity of polymer impregnated to the stone for conservation treatment using impregnation of acrylic polymers under pressure. Radical polymerization was carried out with various mixture ratios of methacrylate (MMA), as the base monomer, and vinyl trimethoxy silane (VTMS). Subsequently, according to the changes of glass transition temperatures. average molecular weights, and storage moduli of the obtained copolymers, the case of adding 1 wt% of benzoyl peroxide, polymerization for 8 hrs, and mixing 5 mol% of VTMS to MMA was the optimum condition of monomer ratio and polymerization. Practically, fresh granites collected in domestic site and weathered stones were treated by following the obtained result above, and then, the moisture absorption, impact, acid resistance, and adhesion properties of the treated stones were compared to those of the corresponding stones treated with MMA only. It was found that those properties of the stones treated with PMV5 were considerably improved.