{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]],"date-time":"2026-05-04T10:23:51Z","timestamp":1777890231739,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":67,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,4,21]],"date-time":"2023-04-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1682035200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Materials"],"abstract":"<jats:p>There is no doubt that nanotechnology and nanoscience open new doors to new applications and products that can potentially revolutionize the practice field and how we conserve built heritage materials. However, we are living at the beginning of this era and the potential benefits of nanotechnology to specific conservation practice needs are not always fully understood. This opinion\/review paper aims to present reflections and answer a question that we are often asked when working directly with stone field conservators: why should we use a nanomaterial instead of a conventional product? Why does size matter? To answer this question, we revise the basic concepts of nanoscience with implications for the built heritage conservation field.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ma16083277","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,4,21]],"date-time":"2023-04-21T06:54:19Z","timestamp":1682060059000},"page":"3277","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["The Boom in Nanomaterials for Built Heritage Conservation: Why Does Size Matter?"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2442-8645","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jorge","family":"Otero","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2194-4620","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giovanni","family":"Borsoi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CERIS, Technical University of Lisbon, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1742-389X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luis","family":"Monasterio-Guillot","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mineralogy and Petrology, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain"},{"name":"ISTerre, University of Grenoble Alpes, 38000 Grenoble, France"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,4,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"22","article-title":"There\u2019s plenty of room at the bottom, a talk given at a meeting of the American Physical Society, December 29, 1959","volume":"23","author":"Feynman","year":"1960","journal-title":"Eng. Sci."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bhushan, B., and Bhushan, B. (2007). Baumann Springer Handbook of Nanotechnology, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-540-29857-1"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lindsay, S. (2010). Introduction to Nanoscience, Oxford University Press.","DOI":"10.1093\/oso\/9780199544202.001.0001"},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"Bailey, C. (1928). The Greek Atomists and Epicurus, Cambridge University Press."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"(2022, November 18). British Museum Webpage. Available online: https:\/\/www.britishmuseum.org\/."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"691","DOI":"10.1038\/35037661","article-title":"Before striking gold in gold-ruby glass","volume":"407","author":"Wagner","year":"2000","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_7","unstructured":"Caiger-Smith, A. (1985). Tradition and Innovation in Islam and the Western World, Faber & Faber."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"442","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1151-2916.2001.tb00674.x","article-title":"Luster Pottery from the Thirteenth Century to the Sixteenth Century: A Nanostructured Thin Metallic Film","volume":"84","author":"Molera","year":"2001","journal-title":"J. Am. Ceram. Soc."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"327","DOI":"10.1016\/S0165-9936(03)00502-8","article-title":"The secret of early nanomaterials is revealed, thanks to transmission electron microscopy","volume":"22","author":"Larrea","year":"2003","journal-title":"Trends Anal. Chem."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"194","DOI":"10.1179\/sic.1983.28.4.194","article-title":"The deterioration of gold alloys and some aspects of their conservation","volume":"28","author":"Scott","year":"1983","journal-title":"Stud. Conserv."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"134","DOI":"10.1007\/BF03215423","article-title":"The true story of Purple of Cassius","volume":"9","author":"Hunt","year":"1976","journal-title":"Gold Bull."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"eabn2541","DOI":"10.1126\/sciadv.abn2541","article-title":"Natural corrosion-induced gold nanoparticles yield purple color of Alhambra palaces decoration","volume":"8","author":"Cardell","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sci. Adv."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5550","DOI":"10.1021\/ja994271p","article-title":"Alkane-assisted adsorption and assembly of phthalocyanines and porphyrins","volume":"122","author":"Qiu","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Am. Chem. Soc."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"849","DOI":"10.1007\/s10311-018-00841-1","article-title":"Nanocarriers for drug delivery applications","volume":"17","author":"Chamundeeswari","year":"2019","journal-title":"Environ. Chem. Lett."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3066","DOI":"10.1016\/j.watres.2008.02.021","article-title":"The inhibitory effects of silver nanoparticles, silver ions, and silver chloride colloids on microbial growth","volume":"42","author":"Choi","year":"2008","journal-title":"Water Res."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3262","DOI":"10.1007\/s11356-018-3884-z","article-title":"Synthesis and applications of nano-TiO2: A review","volume":"26","author":"Noman","year":"2019","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kaneko, T., Jupalli, T.T., and Moraru, D. (2022, January 11\u201312). Evaluation of Single-Electron Tunneling Operation in High-Concentration Codoped Si Nano-Transistors. Proceedings of the 2022 IEEE Silicon Nanoelectronics Workshop (SNW), Honolulu, HI, USA.","DOI":"10.1109\/SNW56633.2022.9889046"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13226","DOI":"10.1021\/jp9535506","article-title":"Perspectives on the physical chemistry of semiconductor nanocrystals","volume":"100","author":"Alivisatos","year":"1996","journal-title":"J. Phys. Chem."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"583","DOI":"10.1039\/b502142c","article-title":"Size matters: Why nanomaterials are different","volume":"35","author":"Roduner","year":"2006","journal-title":"Chem. Soc. Rev."},{"key":"ref_20","unstructured":"Roduner, E. (2015). Royal Society of Chemistry, Elsevier."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2678","DOI":"10.1002\/anie.201210058","article-title":"From chemistry to nanoscience: Not just a matter of size","volume":"52","author":"Bai","year":"2013","journal-title":"Angew. Chem. Int. Ed."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1025","DOI":"10.1021\/cr030063a","article-title":"Chemistry and properties of nanocrystals of different shapes","volume":"105","author":"Burda","year":"2005","journal-title":"Chem. Rev."},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"145","article-title":"The Bakerian Lecture: Experimental Relations of Gold (and Other Metals) to Light","volume":"147","author":"Faraday","year":"1857","journal-title":"Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond."},{"key":"ref_24","unstructured":"Giusti, E. (1992). Discorsi e Dimostrazioni Matematiche Intorno a due Nuove Scienze Attinenti alla Mecanica ed i Movimenti Locali, Einaudi."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"369","DOI":"10.1088\/0143-0807\/29\/2\/017","article-title":"The surface-to-volume ratio in thermal physics: From cheese cube physics to animal metabolism","volume":"29","author":"Vollmer","year":"2008","journal-title":"Eur. J. Phys."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4422","DOI":"10.1021\/cg2005979","article-title":"TiC nanorods derived from cotton fibers: Chloride-assisted VLS growth, structure, and mechanical properties","volume":"11","author":"Tao","year":"2011","journal-title":"Cryst. Growth Des."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"Edwards, P.P., Johnston, R.L., and Rao, C.N.R. (1999). Metal Clusters in Chemistry, Wiley Press."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"De Mello Doneg\u00e1, C. (2014). Nanoparticles: Workhorses of Nanoscience, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-662-44823-6"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"456","DOI":"10.1016\/j.matpr.2015.04.056","article-title":"Industrial Applications of Nanoparticles\u2014A Prospective Overview","volume":"2","author":"Santos","year":"2015","journal-title":"Mater. Today Proc."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.1002\/anie.201305987","article-title":"Chance and necessity: My encounter with gold catalysts","volume":"53","author":"Haruta","year":"2014","journal-title":"Angew. Chem. Int. Ed."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1512","DOI":"10.1039\/C0CS00055H","article-title":"Synthesis, and properties of colloidal heteronanocrystals","volume":"40","year":"2011","journal-title":"Chem. Soc. Rev."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2532","DOI":"10.1039\/b815548h","article-title":"Magnetic nanoparticles: Synthesis, functionalization, and applications in bioimaging and magnetic energy storage","volume":"38","author":"Frey","year":"2009","journal-title":"Chem. Soc. Rev."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"523","DOI":"10.1515\/pac-2017-0506","article-title":"Nanolimes: From synthesis to application","volume":"90","year":"2018","journal-title":"Pure Appl. Chem."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Baglioni, P., Chelazzi, D., and Giorgi, R. (2015). Nanotechnologies in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage: A Compendium of Materials and Techniques, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-94-017-9303-2"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ziegenbalg, G., Drd\u00e1ck\u00fd, M., Dietze, C., and Schuch, D. (2018). Nanomaterials in Architecture and Art Conservation, Pan Stanford Publishing.","DOI":"10.1201\/9780429428753"},{"key":"ref_36","unstructured":"Winkler, E. (1997). Stone in Architecture: Properties, Durability, Springer Science & Business Media."},{"key":"ref_37","unstructured":"Price, C.A., and Doehne, E. (2010). Research in Conservaiton, The Getty Conservation Institute."},{"key":"ref_38","first-page":"1949","article-title":"Conservation of the Exterior of the National Museum of the American Indian Building","volume":"Volume 6","author":"Sledge","year":"2017","journal-title":"Smithsonian Contributions to Museum Conservation"},{"key":"ref_39","first-page":"1","article-title":"Silicate consolidants for stone","volume":"Volume 391","author":"Scherer","year":"2009","journal-title":"Proceedings of the Key Engineering Materials"},{"key":"ref_40","unstructured":"Ashurst, J., and Ashurst, N. (1988). Practical Building Conservation-Mortars, Plasters and Renders, Ashgate Publishing."},{"key":"ref_41","unstructured":"Baglioni, P., Dei, L., and Giorgi, R.C.V. (2002). Basic Suspension, Its Preparation and Process for Paper Deacidification. (US2005042380A1), U.S. Patent."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1007\/BF01412759","article-title":"Formation of Uniform Colloidal Iron (III) Oxides in Ethylene Glycol-Water Solutions","volume":"265","year":"1987","journal-title":"Colloid Polym. Sci."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"723","DOI":"10.1007\/s00339-013-7942-6","article-title":"Commercial Ca (OH)2 nanoparticles for the consolidation of immovable works of art","volume":"114","author":"Baglioni","year":"2014","journal-title":"Appl. Phys. A"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"42","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jcis.2012.09.069","article-title":"Hydroxide nanoparticles for cultural heritage: Consolidation and protection of wall paintings and carbonate materials","volume":"392","author":"Chelazzi","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Colloid Interface Sci."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hosseini, M., and Karapanagiotis, I. (2018). Advanced Materials for the Conservation of Stone, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-72260-3"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"293","DOI":"10.1039\/b516442g","article-title":"Soft and hard nanomaterials for restoration and conservation of cultural heritage","volume":"2","author":"Baglioni","year":"2006","journal-title":"Soft Matter"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11457","DOI":"10.1021\/la4017728","article-title":"Alcohol dispersions of calcium hydroxide nanoparticles for stone conservation","volume":"29","author":"Suzuki","year":"2013","journal-title":"Langmuir"},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.37558\/gec.v11i0.455","article-title":"An overview of nanolime as a consolidation method for calcareous substrates","volume":"1","author":"Otero","year":"2017","journal-title":"Ge-Conservaci\u00f3n"},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e107","DOI":"10.3989\/mc.2017.07616","article-title":"New nanomaterials for applications in conservation and restoration of stony materials: A review","volume":"67","author":"Fort","year":"2017","journal-title":"Mater. Construcci\u00f3n"},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"629","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chempr.2021.01.006","article-title":"Perspectives for antimicrobial nanomaterials in cultural heritage conservation","volume":"7","author":"Hierro","year":"2021","journal-title":"Chem"},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Schifano, E., Cavallini, D., De Bellis, G., Bracciale, M.P., Felici, A.C., Santarelli, M.L., Sarto, M.S., and Uccelletti, D. (2020). Antibacterial Effect of Zinc Oxide-Based Nanomaterials on Environmental Biodeteriogens Affecting Historical Buildings. Nanomaterials, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/nano10020335"},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14","DOI":"10.1016\/j.matlet.2018.11.069","article-title":"Corrosion resistance of a self-healing multilayer film based on SiO2 and CeO2 nanoparticles layer-by-layer assembly on Mg alloys","volume":"237","author":"Zhao","year":"2019","journal-title":"Mater. Lett."},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2182","DOI":"10.1016\/j.matpr.2019.07.371","article-title":"Review on nanomaterials: Synthesis and applications","volume":"18","author":"Kolahalam","year":"2019","journal-title":"Mater. Today Proc."},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Das, S.K., Choi, S.U.S., Yu, W., and Pradeep, T. (2007). Nanofluids, Science and Technology, Wiley Intersicence Publication.","DOI":"10.1002\/9780470180693"},{"key":"ref_55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2484","DOI":"10.1039\/c3cs90011h","article-title":"The chemistry of functional nanomaterials","volume":"42","author":"Yin","year":"2013","journal-title":"Chem. Soc. Rev."},{"key":"ref_56","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1155\/2012\/435873","article-title":"A review on nanofluids: Preparation, stability mechanisms, and applications","volume":"2012","author":"Yu","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Nanomater."},{"key":"ref_57","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"519659","DOI":"10.1155\/2010\/519659","article-title":"Applications of Nanofluids: Current and Future","volume":"2010","author":"Wong","year":"2010","journal-title":"Corp. Adv. Mech. Eng."},{"key":"ref_58","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"58","DOI":"10.1016\/S0142-727X(99)00067-3","article-title":"Heat transfer enhancement of nanofluids","volume":"21","author":"Xuan","year":"2000","journal-title":"Int. J. Heat Fluid Flow"},{"key":"ref_59","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"872","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2016.02.110","article-title":"Inhibition of microorganisms involved the in deterioration of an archaeological site by silver nanoparticles produced by a green synthesis method","volume":"565","year":"2016","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_60","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"701","DOI":"10.1016\/j.conbuildmat.2019.03.130","article-title":"Influence of substrate pore structure and nanolime particle size on the effectiveness of nanolime treatments","volume":"209","author":"Otero","year":"2019","journal-title":"Constr. Build. Mater."},{"key":"ref_61","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"242","DOI":"10.1016\/j.culher.2015.07.014","article-title":"Understanding the transport of nanolime consolidants within Maastricht limestone","volume":"18","author":"Borsoi","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Cult. Herit."},{"key":"ref_62","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"271","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cemconcomp.2018.09.011","article-title":"Use of nanosilica-or nanolime-additioned TEOS to consolidate cementitious materials in heritage structures: Physical and mechanical properties of mortars","volume":"95","year":"2019","journal-title":"Cem. Concr. Compos."},{"key":"ref_63","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"217","DOI":"10.1016\/j.matpr.2020.09.115","article-title":"Effect of nano-silica on physio-mechanical properties and microstructure of soil: A comprehensive review","volume":"44","author":"Barbhuiya","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mater. Today Proc."},{"key":"ref_64","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"167","DOI":"10.1080\/21650373.2014.909751","article-title":"Nanomaterials in self-consolidating concrete: A state-of-the-art review","volume":"3","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Sustain. Cem. Based Mater"},{"key":"ref_65","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"29","DOI":"10.1186\/s40494-015-0060-3","article-title":"Development of a novel conservation treatment of stone monuments with bioactive nanocomposites","volume":"3","author":"Ditaranto","year":"2015","journal-title":"Herit. Sci."},{"key":"ref_66","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13908","DOI":"10.1021\/acsanm.1c03224","article-title":"Hydrophilic ZnO Nanoparticle-Based Antimicrobial Coatings for Sandstone Heritage Conservation","volume":"4","author":"Li","year":"2021","journal-title":"CS Appl. Nano Mater"},{"key":"ref_67","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"105282","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ibiod.2021.105282","article-title":"Interactions of microorganisms and synthetic polymers in cultural heritage conservation","volume":"163","author":"Cappitelli","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. Biodeterior. Biodegrad."}],"container-title":["Materials"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1996-1944\/16\/8\/3277\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T19:20:41Z","timestamp":1760124041000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1996-1944\/16\/8\/3277"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,4,21]]},"references-count":67,"journal-issue":{"issue":"8","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,4]]}},"alternative-id":["ma16083277"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ma16083277","relation":{},"ISSN":["1996-1944"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1996-1944","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,4,21]]}}}