Innovative chemical gels meet enzymes: A smart combination for cleaning paper artworks

摘要

Graphical abstract Display Omitted Abstract Hypothesis Due to their highly retentive properties, innovative recently developed, semi-interpenetrated hydrogels made up of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) chains embedded in a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (p(HEMA)) network should be efficiently used as cleaning material for fragile and degraded paper artworks. In restoration practice, indeed the wet cleaning of these artworks is usually performed by immersion of paper in water, a procedure which may lead to several drawbacks, including paper fibers swelling and dissolution of water-soluble original components. Experiments This class of gels were yet presented in literature, but their interactions with paper materials and ability to be spiked with active enzymes (as cleaning agents), have not been analyzed. To establish the suitability of these hydrogels as paper cleaning materials, first, a rheological and microstructural characterization of the gels was performed. Moreover, diffusion of macromolec