Invisible graphene veil protects paintings from fading
Thin layers of graphene could prevent up to 70% of light-induced colour fading
An invisible graphene veil, just a few atoms thick, can prevent pigments in paintings from fading by protecting them from ultraviolet light, moisture and air pollutants.
Colour fading is a major problem for painted artworks. Vincent van Gogh’s famous Sunflowers paintings, for example, contain photosensitive lead pigments. Originally bright yellow, they have turned greenish-brown over time.
A graphene veil can prevent up to 70% of colour fading, the researchers behind the work suggest. While the exact amount of protection depends on the colours and the pigment substrate, ‘this corresponds approximately to 200 years of exposure under the conditions encountered in museums or other exhibition environments’, says study leader Costas Galiotis of the Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas in Greece.