Volatile binding media (VBM) are used for temporary consolidation of heritage materials during transport or other high-risk operations. VBM are waxy solids that undergo sublimation and pass directly from solid to gas at room temperature, resulting completely reversible. The VOLATILE4ARCHAEO Project is a Marie Curie EU-funded project aimed at evaluating new VBM to be used in alternative to cyclododecane, currently used as a temporary consolidant of archaeological objects in situ and in conservation laboratories but affected by several limitations.
This work compares cyclododecanone, cyclododecanol, camphene, menthol, and their mixtures with CDD, to assess and validate their potential use in the conservation of Cultural Heritage. Several characterization techniques were employed to evaluate the VBM and their thermal behavior. Then, the VBM were applied on different substrates to evaluate their effectiveness in adhesion, penetration, and sublimation rate. Furthermore, compatibility assessment regarding residue detection, substrate chromatic changes, and potential chemical reactions was carried out, together with pilot applications in real heritage materials.