CuTA/APT@APGQAS/B72 nanocomposite protective coatings: Adapting to life in an outdoor mural environment

Light pollution, microbial colonization, and water have all resulted in many harmful occurrences for cultural heritage, which makes it urgent to protect them. This research has been focused on the preparation of high-efficient antimicrobial nanocomposite protective coatings for mural artifacts. The protective coating elaborated in this work are intended to have multifunctional properties (Antimicrobial properties, UV resistance, water vapour permeability). Therefore, this study synthesized CuTA loaded attapulgite@dodecyl glycoside quaternary ammonium salt (CuTA/APT@APGQAS) nanocomposites by the sol-gel method. Then, the CuTA/APT@APGQAS nanocomposites were dispersed in Paraloid B-72 and applied as multifunctional protective coatings to simulate mural. The optimal additions on the simulated frescoes were evaluated by means of different experimental analyses: chromatic measurements, UV–visible transmittance, water vapour permeability, antimicrobial activities, and transmission electron microscopy analysis combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (TEM-EDS). The findings demonstrated that, at low concentrations (2 mg/mL), the inhibition rates of CuTA/APT@APGQAS nanocomposites against E. coli and S. aureus were 99.99 % and 98.76 %, respectively. CuTA/APT@APGQAS/B72 composite film was deemed an effective protective film due to its excellent water vapour permeability, UV shielding, and antibacterial capabilities.