EU Project AMECP - Glass sensors assessing the environmental impact on cultural heritage
Challenge: WHY the innovation has been developed? What problem is addressed and why has not been not solved before?
Cultural heritage is increasingly endangered by environmental pollution especially in the time of climate change. Therefore, this innovative sensor has been developed to avoid damages on cultural heritage in museums, libraries and historic buildings caused by environmental pollution and by varying temperature and humidity levels. Environmental assessment is still not a routine method in many museums due to high costs and highly sophisticated equipment needed, which often only measure the current values surrounding an object. The state-of-the-art glass sensor developed within the EU AMECP project allows an integrated assessment of the real impact of environments on artworks for a longer duration (usually three to six months). ) The glass sensori is monitoring the accumulated effect of environmental parameters such as humidity, temperature and air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone and organic acids
Solution: WHAT the solution is about? HOW it goes beyond the state of the art?
The sensor development was inspired by mediaeval stained glasses which are highly sensitive to environmental pollution. The glass sensor has a similar chemical composition but corrodes in an accelerated time of days and weeks. It is a thin glass platelet (0.7 mm thick) made of a potassium lime silicate glass with a fire-polished surface. Under the environmental influence of temperature, humidity and/or air pollutants, the surface of the glass corrodes and a water-containing gel layer is formed by leaching of potassium and calcium ions. This gel layer serves as indicator for the corrosiveness of the environmental conditions, warning when the local environment is in non-optimal conditions and calls for improvements. Such a system is suitable for detecting even small amounts of pollutants (i.e. SO2, NOx, volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, organic acids etc.), as well as temperature and humidity, allowing small scale mapping and comparison of different sites and locations. The sensor is easy to handle, simple and requires no electricity thus saving energy and reducing the carbon footprint.
End-users and examples of uses: WHO will beneficiate/ is beneficiating from the solution? WHERE and HOW the solution has been adopted? How will impact people or end-users? Add as more as possible examples of market and society uptakes
The glass sensors have already been extensively applied worldwide in many European and international museums (i.e. Victoria & Albert Museum London (UK), Pergamon Museum (DE), Pompeii (IT), National Museum Teheran (Iran), Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, etc.). Glass sensors can be useful for heritage owners and caretakers to keep their cultural property in safe environments.
Future possibilities: Future market perspectives when the innovation will be fully available or in use
Further possible applications are foreseen as early warning systems for potential health risks caused by industrial exhaust gases of production plants or in hospitals. They can also be applied in public and private buildings to detect any harmful environments e.g. sick building syndrome.
Media coverage
Australian documentary "Beyond 2000"; Bavarian TV documentary "Cappriccio" 2011
References for more information (eg. website, social media)
Not specified
Contacts:
Johanna Leissner (johanna.leissner@zv.fraunhofer.de)
Sabrina Rota (sabrina.rota@isc.fraunhofer.de)
Application sectors:
- Historical sites
- Cultural Tangible and intangible landscapes
- Eco-systemic services
- Environmental sustainability and energy efficiency
- Risk management
Objectives:
- Market/business development
- Consumers’ awareness and information, trust building
- Supporting strategies, regulatory frameworks legislation and standards at EU and national levels
- Regional/Local development
RRI Dimensions:
- Public Engagement
- Science Education
- Open Access
Communities:
- Heritage at risk
- Shared management of cultural heritage
- Advanced future technologies for heritage and arts
