A PRACTICAL METHOD FOR PREPARING Ca(OH)(2) NANODISPERSIONS FOR THE CONSOLIDATION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL CALCAREOUS STONES

Exposure to atmospheric conditions results in considerable deterioration of calcareous building stones, lime mortars and plasters in archaeological monuments, requiring several conservation treatments. During the consolidation treatments of the deteriorated calcareous stones, compatibility can best be achieved by introducing a material that would have similar chemical composition and mineralogical structure with the original stone. In recent years, studies on the preparation of Ca(OH)(2) nanodispersions for the consolidation of limestone and marble have increased but the preparation processes of these nanodispersions are usually complicated and time consuming. This study aimed to prepare Ca(OH)(2) nanodispersions in ethyl alcohol at sufficient concentration levels with a practical method for the consolidation of calcareous archaeological materials