2018 Volume 59 Issue 11 Pages 1731-1738
Kyushu Research Institute for Cultural Properties Inc. and Kumamoto University have introduced a new method, the Aquo-Siloxane method, to protect stone heritage sites. The application procedure of the method is very simple and it has been applied to several stone heritage sites. Here, one-dimensional diffusion tests using potassium iodide solution were conducted on two types of porous rock samples, Berea sandstone and Kimachi sandstone. The Aquo-Siloxane treatment was applied to the rock samples, and its inhibitory effect on diffusion phenomena was verified. The characteristic point of this study was that the diffusion phenomena was visualized using a µ-focus X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanner, and the density distribution inside the rock sample was quantitatively evaluated. When the Aquo-Siloxane treatment was applied, it was found that density increment resulting from diffusion was suppressed by nearly 1/2 to 1/3 of that without treatment in both the rock samples. The number of applications of Aquo-Siloxane treatment was also verified. It was found that there were no significant differences in the number of treatments, and it was proved that one application was sufficient to suppress the migration of solute into the rock sample.
