Alkoxygermanes as possible calcareous stone consolidants and biocides

CHED 784

Gillian E. A. Rudd, rudd@nsula.edu, Stace Miller, stacemiller@gmail.com, and T. Ryan Metzger, tmetzger001@student.nsula.edu. Department of Chemistry & Physics, Northwestern State University, Fournet Hall, Natchitoches, LA 71497
The main focus of the work has been to identify new materials than can help prevent deterioration of stone samples, by understanding how air pollution interacts with the material of our cultural resources and what can be done to minimize this interaction through the use of stone consolidants. Methyltriethoxygermane, dimethyldiethoxygermane, ethyltriethoxygermane and diethyldiethoxygermane have been used to synthesize and fully characterize alkoxygermane polymers. Successful polymer products, characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, are being used for consolidant testing. The consolidant is applied to the calcareous stone and a series of tests are run to quantify the effectiveness of the consolidant and the stone substrate with respect to artificial aging (QUV Weatherometer), color change (colorimetry), texture change (laser profilometry), and added or decreased strength (Versa-tester). The prepared alkoxygermanes were tested against two commonly used consolidants; Acryloid B-72 and Prosoco OH-100, as well as investigating their biocide properties.