LAUSR

Abstract Preservation of ancient polychromic relics is imperative for providing rich historical information. Raw material consolidation has become a new trend for the protection of polychromic relics. A new material based on gelatin microspheres (GM) was developed in this work to overcome the issues associated with the sol-gel property of gelatin. Small particles were sprayed on the surface of a polychromic relic; these permeated to a certain depth and expanded in the presence of water to provide internal crosslinking and surface sealing. The GMs were obtained through emulsification-coacervation in a water-in-oil emulsion. The GMs were uniform in size and their purity was verified using SEM and FT-IR spectroscopy. The protective effect of this novel treatment on painted samples was evaluated and compared to a commonly used synthetic treatment (Paraloid B72) as well as a blank control. The surface performance, breathability, and durability of the GM treatment was superior to Paraloid B72. The GM treatment can be used for effective consolidation.