Antimicrobial hydrogel patches for deacidification and conservation of waterlogged archaeological wood
Dublin Core
Title
Antimicrobial hydrogel patches for deacidification and conservation of waterlogged archaeological wood
Description
The Nanhai No. 1 hull, a Chinese merchant ship sank during the Southern Song dynasty and excavated from the
South China Sea, is an example of underwater cultural heritage waterlogged wood that has been preserved in
situ for centuries. Although the overall structure of the wooden artifacts is still intact they are severely degraded
and acidified. It is now urgent to explore effective approaches for its conservation, we explore the feasibility of
antimicrobial hydrogel patches. Antimicrobial hydrogel patches dispersed with antibacterial and deacidification
nanoparticles simultaneously deacidify, moisturize, and reinforce both antibacterial and mechanical aspects of
waterlogged wood. In the construction of the antimicrobial hydrogel patches, the double network hydrogel was
used to prepare the hydrogel substrate with stretch and mechanical strength. We have successfully applied the
antimicrobial hydrogel patches to the waterlogged wood from Nanhai No. 1, with the support of the Maritime
Silk Road Museum of Guangdong. We demonstrate here the advantages of hydrogel patches to protect
waterlogged wood with testing in deacidification, compression and antimicrobial.
South China Sea, is an example of underwater cultural heritage waterlogged wood that has been preserved in
situ for centuries. Although the overall structure of the wooden artifacts is still intact they are severely degraded
and acidified. It is now urgent to explore effective approaches for its conservation, we explore the feasibility of
antimicrobial hydrogel patches. Antimicrobial hydrogel patches dispersed with antibacterial and deacidification
nanoparticles simultaneously deacidify, moisturize, and reinforce both antibacterial and mechanical aspects of
waterlogged wood. In the construction of the antimicrobial hydrogel patches, the double network hydrogel was
used to prepare the hydrogel substrate with stretch and mechanical strength. We have successfully applied the
antimicrobial hydrogel patches to the waterlogged wood from Nanhai No. 1, with the support of the Maritime
Silk Road Museum of Guangdong. We demonstrate here the advantages of hydrogel patches to protect
waterlogged wood with testing in deacidification, compression and antimicrobial.
Creator
Xiaohang Sun
Junjie Chen
Xuanwei Zhang
Qiang Chen
Publisher
The Museum of Underwater Archaeology
Date
2023
Language
English
Bibliographic Citation
Sun, Xiaohang , Junjie Chena, Xuanwei Zhangb, and Qiang Chena. 2023. “Antimicrobial hydrogel patches for deacidification and conservation of waterlogged archaeological wood.” Edited by Jennifer Craig, Jay Mok and T. Kurt Knoerl. In Proceedings of Fifth Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Gwangju, The Republic of Korea, November 13-18 2023. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology. URL: https://apconf.omeka.net/exhibits/show/apconfproceedings/item/1909
Files
Citation
Xiaohang Sun et al., “Antimicrobial hydrogel patches for deacidification and conservation of waterlogged archaeological wood,” Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Proceedings, accessed May 12, 2025, https://apconf.omeka.net/items/show/1909.