Currently there is a lack of methodologies for the conservation of modern and contemporary artworks, many of which will not be accessible in very short time due to extremely fast degradation processes. The challenge of NANORESTART (NANOmaterials for the REStoration of works of ART) will be to address this issue within a new framework with respect to the state of the art of conservation science. NANORESTART is devoted to the development of nanomaterials to ensure long term protection and security of modern/contemporary cultural heritage, taking into account environmental and human risks, feasibility and materials costs. The market for conservation of this heritage is estimated at some €5 billion per year, and could increase by a significant factor in the next years due to the wider use of nanomaterials. The new tools and materials developed will represent a breakthrough in cultural heritage and conservation science and will focus on: (i) tools for controlled cleaning, such as highly-retentive gels for the confinement of enzymes and nanostructured fluids based on green surfactants; (ii) the strengthening and protection of surfaces by using nanocontainers, nanoparticles and supramolecular systems/assemblies; (iii) nanostructured substrates and sensors for enhanced molecules detection; (iv) evaluation of the environmental impact and the development of security measures for long lasting conservation of cultural heritage. Within the project the industrial scalability of the developed materials will be demonstrated. NANORESTART gathers centres of excellence in the field of synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials, world leading chemical Industries and SMEs operating in R&D, and International and European centres for conservation, education and museums. Such centres will assess the new materials on modern/contemporary artefacts in urgent need of conservation, and disseminate the knowledge and the new nanomaterials among conservators on a worldwide perspective.

European Cultural Heritage (CH) is a crucial resource that must be maintained, preserved and accessible, to counteract degradation enhanced by unfavorable environmental conditions and climate changes. Conservation methodologies lack durability, sustainability and cost-effectiveness, and are typically based on energy-consuming processes or non-environmentally friendly materials. Coping with these issues, GREENART proposes new solutions based on green and sustainable materials and methods, to preserve, conserve and restore CH: 1) Protective coatings based on green materials from waste and plant proteins, with self-healing and reversibility character, possibly functionalized with organic/inorganic nanoparticles to impart VOC capture, anti-corrosion and barrier behaviors. 2) Foams and packaging materials made by biodegradable/compostable polymers from renewable sources (polyurethanes and natural fibers) to control T/RH. 3) Consolidants based on natural polymers from renewable sources, to mechanically strengthen weak artifacts. 4) Gels and cleaning fluids inspired by the most advanced systems currently available to conservators, improving them according to green and circular economy. 5) Green tech solutions for monitoring CH assets non-invasively against pollutants and environmental oscillations. Life cycle Assessment and modeling will favor the “safe-by-design” creation of affordable solutions safe to craftspeople, operators and the environment, and minimize energy-consumption in monitoring museum environments. Such holistic approach is granted in GREENART by a multidisciplinary partnership that gathers hard and soft sciences and engineering, including academic centers, innovative industries and SMEs, conservation institutions and professionals, museums whose collections hold absolute masterpieces in need of conservation, public entities and policy makers. The latter will favour training and dissemination activities to make stakeholders familiar with the new methods.

Most Cultural Heritage objects housed by museums are often stored under unsuitable climate conditions. APACHE will develop a cutting edge technology to control and prevent the degradation of such patrimony. The novel approach is based on three pillars: 1) advanced sensing and absorbing materials to control the artifacts’ environment; 2) modeling to define the threshold of artifacts’ degradation and to discriminate between the need for preventive or remedial conservation; 3) remote control of the works of art stressors. The unique combination of these pillars will reduce to the lowest possible level the costs actually required by conventional technology for art conservation. New generation of active and intelligent display cases, crates, and storage boxes, will be implemented thanks to: i) The unique APACHE partnership, comprising the most important experts in the three aforementioned pillars; ii) The development of easy-to-use sensing devices able to communicate through Wireless Sensor Networks and Radio Frequency Identification Devices thanks to Industry 4.0-5.0 ICT technologies, granting the optimal environmental conditions around the art objects. Multiscale models integrated in an open simulation environment will be used to predict the degradation of artefacts and set the properties of sensors (detection limits) and polyfunctional absorbents. APACHE includes small, medium, and large museums exhibiting representative variety of display and storage conditions. For instance, the Venice Peggy Guggenheim Collection features one of the most important collections of modern/contemporary art, which experiences highly unfavorable environmental conditions, difficult to control with conventional tools. Centre Pompidou and National Museum of Hungary possess a vast amount of artefacts stored in deposits (e.g. in crates and boxes). Moreover, a decision-making tool composed by a modular set of decision trees will be offered to end-users to guide them through the best solutions.