NANOMAGNETIC SPONGE AGENT AND PHYSIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS FOR REMOVAL AGED VARNISH FROM AN EGYPTIAN INLAID WOODEN ARTIFACT OF 18th CENTURY OTTOMAN PERIOD: CASE STUDY

Abstract

This paper presents synthesis of a nanomagnetic sponge loaded with oil in water (O/W) microemulsion for removing aged varnish from an Egyptian inlaid wooden jewelry box artifact, Ottoman period, 18th century. It was displayed in the museum of faculty of applied arts, Helwan University, Giza, Egypt. The box had several deterioration aspects, one of them is damage of the varnish layer which deformed the box appearance. Magnetic nanoparticles of CoFe2O4 were incorporated into a copolymer based network of polyethylene glycol and acrylamide to obtain nanomagnetic sponge. It was loaded with two (O/W) microemulsions: the first one is based on poly (HEMA): Poly (methyl methacrylate/2hydroxyethyl 1 methacrylate); and, the second is based on Texapon-P (ammonium lauryl sulphate). Portable USB microscope, scanning electron microscope attached with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX) unit, x-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the inlaid wooden artifact and to evaluate the efficiency of the nanomagnetic sponge. The data confirmed that the box was fabricated from pinus pinea wood, was inlaid with ivory of different colors, brass alloy, and wooden veneer. Nanomagnetic sponge loaded with poly (HEMA) succeeded in removing the aged varnish layer without leaving any residues due to its new magnetic ability, neither penetrating the surface, nor swelling of the binding material used in adhesion of inlay pieces.