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Laboratorio Beni Culturali

The Cultural Heritage Department is housed in the premises of the Florence UOS of the IGG.

The Laboratory

Material knowledge, combined with the development of advanced methodologies for the conservation and restoration of historical, architectural, and artistic artifacts, constitutes a fundamental tool for the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage.

Materials analysis provides essential information regarding the nature and provenance of raw materials, the execution techniques used, any previous conservation interventions, and ongoing or potential degradation processes. This data represents an essential knowledge base for informed and targeted guidance on future restoration projects.

Conservation methods are primarily based on the application of specific products, selected to ensure compatibility with the artifact's materials, durability, and effectiveness. These include protective agents, designed to counteract the effects of atmospheric and environmental agents, and surface consolidating or aggregating products, designed to improve the mechanical properties and cohesion of the constituent materials.

Restoration methods, on the other hand, rely on the use of products, methods, and technologies that ensure respect for the material and aesthetics of the artifact. A significant example is surface cleaning, where selectivity and controllability of the operation are essential to guarantee the integrity of the original material.

The Cultural Heritage Laboratory, active since 2013, works both in the design and development of new compounds and formulations for conservation and restoration, and in the chemical, mineralogical, and physical characterization of stone and painted surfaces, integrating interdisciplinary skills to systematically address conservation issues.

Since 2020, research activities have progressively focused on developing new eco-friendly and eco-sustainable products/formulations, designed to ensure operator health protection and reduce environmental impact, without compromising the high standards of effectiveness required in conservation and restoration interventions.

Instruments

  • Perkin Elmer Spectrum 2 FTIR spectrometer
  • UV Chamber – Q-LAB – Xenon Test Chamber – Model Xe-1
  • Stirrers/Heaters
  • Memmert stove
  • Cell for measuring the vapour permeability (“glass”) of rocks, mortars and ceramics
  • Equipment for measuring water absorption in rocks and other porous systems (capillary absorption method and “pipette” method)
  • System for the creation of vacuum/nitrogen in chemical reactions sensitive to oxygen and humidity
System for simulating rain on stone surfaces (washout test).
Various types of vacuum pumps
FT-IR spectrometer and micro-sample collection under stereomicroscope for FTIR spectrometric analysis in diamond cell
Xenon Test Chamber for the evaluation of the stability of protective and consolidating agents to UV radiation
Artificial aging system for rock specimens by simulating rain

Staff and Contacts

The Cultural Heritage laboratory staff is composed of:

Contacts:

  • Dr. Jacopo Cabassi: 0552757482
  • Dr. Mara Camaiti: 055 2757558

Methods and Applications

The main methods used are:

  • Design and development of new compounds and formulations for cleaning, consolidating and protecting natural and artificial stone
  • Design and formulation of new composites for the conservation of stone artefacts
  • Determination of the vapour permeability of porous systems (UNI-EN 15803:2010)
  • Determination of water absorption by the capillary absorption method (UNI EN 15801:2010) or the “pipette” method (Normal 44/93)
  • Determination of the water porosity of samples of porous materials (rocks, mortars, ceramics) of any geometric shape by vacuum imbibition.
  • Accelerated aging test in a climatic chamber using UV irradiation cycles
  • Accelerated surface aging testing by simulating controlled rain washout
  • Preparation of transverse glossy sections of paint layers for stereomicroscopic observations and SEM-EDS investigations
  • Chemical and/or mineralogical characterization, by FTIR, of new synthetic or formulation products, of newly formed compounds on stone artefacts, of pigments and binders in pictorial artefacts
Testing for water absorption in rocks using the “pipette” method
Synthesis of new compounds in a controlled atmosphere (under nitrogen)
Capillary water absorption test in porous systems

Applications:

  • Protection of stone artefacts
  • Surface consolidation of degraded rocks
  • Cleaning of stone and metal surfaces
  • Evaluation of the state of conservation of stone artefacts
  • Evaluation of the durability of conservative treatments
  • Archaeometric investigations

Scientific Projects and Interests

Project:

  • 2025 – ECOPROSS – Sviluppo di formulati innovativi ed ecocompatibili con proprietà superidrofobiche e self-cleaning per la protezione di manufatti lapidei, PR Toscana FSE+2021/2027 – Attività 4.a.5 – Bandi RICERCA24 (Bando in ambito culturale), co-finanziato da Regione Toscana, CUP B13C24002540005
  • 2024 – NANOSOLID – Sviluppo e validazione di un prodotto innovativo, non tossico ed eco-compatibile per il consolidamento di manufatti lapidei, finanziato da Regione Toscana nell’ambito di PR FESR 2021 OP1 OS1 Azione 1.1.4 “Ricerca e sviluppo per le imprese anche in raggruppamento con organismi di ricerca” – Bando n.2 Progetti di ricerca e sviluppo per le MPMI e Midcap – CUP-ST 27717.29122023.043001215.
  • 2022 – DOTTORATO PON – RICERCA E INNOVAZIONE 2014/2020, AZIONE IV.5, orientato alle tematiche green: studio, caratterizzazione di nuovi formulati ecocompatibili ed ecosostenibili per la pulitura, consolidamento e protezione delle superfici lapidee.
  • 2020 – NanoPro – Nuovi nanomateriali per la protezione dei manufatti lapidei: sintesi e caratterizzazione di un nuovo nanocomposto idoneo alla protezione di materiali lapidei di interesse culturale ed industriale, finanziato da Costanter SpA
  • 2018 – NANOCONSLAP – Nanomateriali e nanocompositi per una conservazione innovativa e sostenibile di manufatti lapidei, co-finanziato da Regione Toscana nell’ambito di PR Toscana POR-FSE 2014-2020 – programma di intervento “ARCO – CNR” CUP “B56J17001330004.
  • 2016 – Individuazione di agenti consolidanti per il restauro del marmo di Carrara della Facciata della Chiesa di Santa Maria di Nazareth (degli Scalzi) – Venezia, finanziato dalla Provincia Veneta dei Carmelitani Scalzi (Verona)
  • 2016 – Indagini archeometriche varie, tra cui: a) indagini spettrometriche FTIR e SEM-EDS per l’identificazione dei materiali costitutivi e di degrado delle tessere decorate provenienti dal V Minareth di Herat (Afganistan); b) indagini spettrometriche FTIR per l’identificazione di pigmenti e leganti in campioni pittorici provenienti da vari dipinti di Giovanni Santi; c) indagini spettrometriche FTIR per l’identificazione di pigmenti, additivi e leganti in campioni pittorici provenienti da dipinti murali di alcune tombe di Paestum; d) indagini spettrometriche FTIR per l’identificazione di pigmenti, leganti e prodotti di alterazione in campioni policromi provenienti dalle finestre a bifora del Palazzo del Bargello a Firenze.

Scientific Interests:

  • Design and development of new eco-friendly or eco-sustainable materials/formulations for the restoration and conservation of artefacts of historical, architectural and artistic interest
  • Durability modeling of conservative treatments on stone artefacts
  • Archaeometric investigations aimed at understanding the constituent materials, the products of alteration or previous restoration interventions

Publications

  • Cao, Y.; Wang, C.; Feng, W.; Camaiti, M. TiO2-Based Protective Coatings for Buildings and Monuments. In Nanostructured TiO2: Synthesis, Photocatalytic Properties, and Applications; Pan, J.H., Lee, L.W.I., Bahnemann, D.W., Eds.; John Wiley & Sons-VCH: Weinheim, Germany, 2026; Chapter 21; pp. 497–514. ISBN 9783527354177.
  • Vespignani, L.; Villano, G.; Bucci, M.; Cecchetti, A.; Camaiti, M.; Salvini, A. Novel Formulations for the Protection of Wooden Artifacts. Polym. Degrad. Stab. 2026, 246, 111934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111934.
  • Chen, H.; Cao, Y.; Wang, C.; Tie, F.; Dong, W.; Camaiti, M.; Baglioni, P. Superhydrophobic Surfaces for the Sustainable Maintenance of Building Materials and Stone Built-Heritage: The Challenges, Opportunities and Perspectives. Adv. Colloid Interface Sci. 2025, 335, 103343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cis.2024.103343.
  • Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IGG); Università di Firenze; Costanter S.p.A. Stone Surface Cleaning Hydrogel Formulation. European Patent Application No. 25183587.2, filed 18 June 2025.
  • Amadori, M.L.; Poldi, G.; Holakooei, P.; Ferrucci, F.; Cruciani, G.; Andreotti, A.; Camaiti, M.; Mengacci, V. Pseudoboleite as an Alteration Product of Azurite in the Painted Stone of the Mullioned Windows of the Bargello Palace (Florence). J. Cult. Herit. 2025, 75, 267–278. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2025.07.023.
  • Zhang, Y.; Eveno, M.; Gallier, F.; Lattuati-Derieux, A.; Lubin-Germain, N.; Camaiti, M.; Salvini, A. Partially Fluorinated Derivatives as a Powerful Tool for the Restoration of Blanched Easel Paintings. Prog. Org. Coat. 2025, 207, 109375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.porgcoat.2025.109375.
  • Romiti, C.; Donatelli, E.; Paggini, F.; Vaselli, O.; Camaiti, M. Superhydrophobic and Self-Cleaning Coatings: Novel Advances in Stone Cultural Heritage Conservation. In Florence Heri-Tech 2024: The Future of Heritage Science and Technologies; Springer Nature: Cham, Switzerland, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-87068-2_11.
  • Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IGG); Università di Firenze; Costanter S.p.A. Formulazione Idrogel Pulente di Superfici Lapidee. Italian Patent Application No. 102024000015475, filed 4 July 2024.
  • Cao, Y.; Salvini, A.; Camaiti, M. Multi-Functional TiO2-Based Nanocomposite Coating with Durable Superhydrophobicity and Enhanced Photocatalytic and Antimicrobial Properties for the Sustainable Maintenance of Building Stones. Constr. Build. Mater. 2023, 404, 133139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.133139.
  • Amadori, M.L.; Poldi, G.; Camaiti, M.; Frezzato, F.; Casoli, A.; Germinario, G.; Monni, E.; Pedulli, C.; Mengacci, V. Giovanni Santi’s Late 15th Century Paintings: Microscopic, Spectroscopic and Chromatographic Investigations on Pigments, Powdered Glass and Binding Media. Appl. Sci. 2023, 13, 9739. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13179739.
  • Zhang, Y.; Eveno, M.; Gallier, F.; Camaiti, M.; Lattuati-Derieux, A.; Salvini, A.; Lubin-Germain, N. Synthesis of Novel Partially Perfluorinated C-Glycosides and Their Application in Blanching Easel Painting Restoration. J. Cult. Herit. 2023, 62, 193–500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2023.06.019.
  • Cao, Y.; Camaiti, M.; Endrizzi, M.; Forti, G.; Vergani, E.; Forti, I. Enhanced Consolidation Efficacy and Durability of Highly Porous Calcareous Building Stones Enabled by Nanosilica-Based Treatments. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 2023, 66, 2197–2212. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-022-2343-y.
  • Camaiti, M.; Bortolotti, V.; Cao, Y.; Papacchini, A.; Salvini, A.; Brizi, L. High Efficiency Fluorinated Oligo(ethylenesuccinamide) Coating for Stone. Coatings 2021, 11, 452. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings11040452.
  • Cao, Y.; Salvini, A.; Camaiti, M. One-Step Fabrication of Robust and Durable Superamphiphobic, Self-Cleaning Surface for Outdoor and in Situ Application on Various Building Substrates. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 2021, 591, 239–252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2021.02.001.
  • Amadori, M.L.; Costantini, I.; Madariaga Mota, J.M.; Valentini, L.; Ferrucci, F.; Mengacci, V.; Camaiti, M. Calcium Antimonate: A New Discovery in Colour Palette of Paestum Wall Paintings. Microchem. J. 2021, 168, 106401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2021.106401.
  • Forti, I.; Rocca, I.; D’Acunto, G.; Camaiti, M. Rilievo, Sperimentazione e Monitoraggio Programmato per la Tutela e Conservazione della Facciata della Chiesa degli Scalzi a Venezia. In Proceedings of the 5th Biennial of Architectural and Urban Restoration (BRAU5), 15 April–4 May 2021; CICOP Italia Onlus: Florence, Italy, 2021; pp. 553–567. ISBN 978-88-943862-2-6.
  • Brizi, L.; Bortolotti, V.; Marmotti, G.; Camaiti, M. Identification of Complex Structures of Paintings on Canvas by NMR: Correlation between NMR Profile and Stratigraphy. Magn. Reson. Chem. 2020, 58, 889–901. https://doi.org/10.1002/mrc.5034.
  • Brizi, L.; Camaiti, M.; Bortolotti, V.; Fantazzini, P.; Blümich, B.; Haber-Pohlmeier, S. One- and Two-Dimensional NMR Studies for Cultural Heritage: Evaluation of Consolidants. Micropor. Mesopor. Mater. 2018, 269, 186–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micromeso.2018.04.026.
  • Ciofini, D.; Striova, J.; Camaiti, M.; Siano, S. Photo-Oxidative Kinetics of Solvent- and Oil-Based Terpenoid Varnishes. Polym. Degrad. Stab. 2016, 123, 47–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2015.11.002.