A water dispersed Titanium dioxide/poly(carbonate urethane) nanocomposite for protecting cultural heritage: Preparation and properties

• A new nanocoating for the safeguard of cultural heritage through low impact procedure.
• Eco-sustainable durable protective treatments of cultural heritage.
• Amorphous TiO2 nanoparticles confer self-cleaning and water-desorption abilities.
• PU matrix hard segments molecular motions restricted by TiO2 nanoparticles presence.

A water dispersed Titanium dioxide/poly(carbonate urethane) nanocomposite was prepared by means of cold mixing of single components via sonication. The work was aimed at achieving a new material with properties suitable for eco-sustainable applications in cultural heritage as protective coating. The nanocomposite water dispersion prepared was subsequently deposited on Petri dish and, after water casting at room temperature, homogeneous, transparent, colourless film samples were obtained. TGA, DSC, DMTA, ATR-FTIR, FESEM and WAXS techniques were then applied in order to investigate the thermal and visco-elastic behaviours along with morphology and structure of the nanocomposite. Moreover, through methylorange decomposition, an azoic dye representative of environmental pollution, a photocatalytic test was set up on nanocomposite film samples assessing that the 1% (wt/wt) content of Titanium dioxide nanoparticles was able to confer self-cleaning ability. Interrelationships among structure, properties and uses in conservation of this kind of nanomaterial were appraised.